City Finds Another $1 Million in Streetcar Funding

By Eric Richardson
Published: Monday, October 06, 2008, at 09:28PM

Eric Richardson [Flickr]

A red streetcar runs through Seattle's South Lake Union district.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The City of Los Angeles got the construction of Upper 2nd Street done significantly under budget, and Councilman Jose Huizar wants to see the $1 million leftover put into the Downtown Streetcar project. The new funds come hot on the heels of $5 million approved by the Community Redevelopment Agency last week.

Huizar made the request in a motion filed on Friday. It has been referred to the Council's Transportation and Public Works committees.

The funding for the Upper 2nd Street project included $1.8 million in Federal Surface Transportation Project - Local (STP-L) monies. Only $800,000 of those funds were spent in completing the street extension. Huizar's motion asks to reprogram the remaining funds to the streetcar project for preliminary engineering and environmental work.

The 3.4 mile project is expected to cost $90 million, and estimates have the private sector providing 30% - 50% of that total. Backers are saying they want to have the line up and running by 2014. While an exact route has not been set, the line is planned to connect LA Live, Broadway and Bunker Hill.

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Topic:
Downtown Streetcar

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Comments

Dan in LA writes:

Go, Jose! GO!

# on Oct.07.2008 AT 04:04 PM

Downtown hoooyah writes:

Yay! Go Jose go! I have to admit I'm impressed with this whole effort. I am impressed even though I didn't want to be.

# on Oct.07.2008 AT 08:57 PM

M a r c writes:

I would love to see the route include going as far north as Chinatown and as far west as City West as well...

# on Oct.07.2008 AT 09:32 PM

Eric Richardson writes:

Marc: Let's get line one up and running and then start dreaming about all the other places future lines can go. Once there's something for people to see, the sales pitch on future lines becomes a lot easier.

# on Oct.07.2008 AT 09:51 PM

John Swartz writes:

Go Broadway Car Go!!!!! Keep that momentum going Jose!! You're my hero!

# on Oct.08.2008 AT 12:15 AM

Downtown BABY writes:

All the way to Chinatown to the foot of Dodger Stadium is a great idea. Can you imaging 50k parking near downtown and being able to walk around after a game? What an infusion that will be.

# on Oct.08.2008 AT 06:05 PM

LAidbacklifestyle writes:

I dunno if it is possible to get the trolley to the foot of dodger stadium. If it was (or is) possible, then that would be pretty sweet since it would finally bring REAL public transportation to the stadium, not some van that comes only before and after the game. It would also tie in with the team (in Brooklyn they were known as the TROLLEY Dodgers)

# on Oct.09.2008 AT 10:30 PM

John Swartz writes:

They should design a connector that trolleys passengers to and from Dodgers stadium to a Brooadway Trolley line station in Chinatown.

Public Transportation to Dosgers Stadium is key! I can't believe that this wasn't figured into the stadium during its conception! Most other major sports stadiums in the country have subway or lightrail stops directly in front of them!

# on Oct.10.2008 AT 10:29 AM