Beverly Press: Federal funding freeze could derail projects
Federal and local leaders gathered on Feb. 20 at the nearly completed Wilshire/La Brea subway station to call attention to the impact potential funding freezes by President Donald Trump will have on public transportation projects.
U.S. Reps. Laura Friedman (D-Calif.) and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) joined Metro Board Member and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky at a press conference where they said cuts could jeopardize projects in Los Angeles, including the D Line subway extension. Trump signed an executive order in January – that was later placed on hold by a federal judge – putting the future of federal funding for a multitude of programs in limbo. It is unclear what cuts will specifically be made to local transportation projects, but local leaders are worried the impact will be severe.
“Unfortunately, the current administration and President Trump’s new attack on federal infrastructure dollars puts all of these projects directly at risk,” Friedman said. “The investments that we have made as a community, that we have made here in Los Angeles, the investments that we’ve made as a nation are going to pay dividends, as they already are. All of that could grind to a halt if this administration is successful in defunding investment in California. Hundreds of millions of dollars of federal investment promised by our government to the L.A. Metro expansion are still yet to be delivered, and we’re counting on those dollars. As a representative, I’m worried that the Trump [administration] will continue to want to go back on its commitments to the American people. This is a massive investment that’s got to move forward.”
Funding is already allocated and cannot be cut for the first two segments of the D Line extension between Wilshire/Western and Century City/Constellation, but the final segment from Century City to the Westwood/VA Hospital could be in jeopardy if transportation funds are frozen or rescinded, officials said. The first segment of the new subway line to the Wilshire/La Cienega station is scheduled to open later this year.
“This particular first phase and the second phase are fully funded – a lot of that comes from [Los Angeles County] Measure M, which is our local dollars, and some of it comes from the federal government. But with the third phase, which is to UCLA and the VA, there’s a gap of a few hundred million dollars,” Yaroslavsky said. “None of us are taking anything for granted. We’re going to keep pushing hard. I don’t think there’s anything reasonable that we can assume right now. With this administration, you can’t make reasonable assumptions based on past behavior.”
Friedman said the potential funding freezes could have a dramatic impact on the city of Los Angeles’ preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games. The D Line is expected to be fully complete to the Westwood/VA Hospital station by 2027 and is part of plans to transport people more efficiently to venues throughout the city.
“Los Angeles is going to be on the world stage in even a more elevated way when the Olympics come here. And as a nation, I think we have a lot to gain by putting our best foot forward and to show the rest of the world that we do make big investments in infrastructure, that we care about our train stops, we care about our water system, we care about our bridges, that we are a first world nation and the best nation in the world.” Friedman added. “To me, that means making these investments that we’re making right now. But I have not seen the Trump administration step forward acknowledging the importance of those investments here in Los Angeles. Am I confident that the Trump administration wants to invest in the Olympics? No, we haven’t seen that yet. But I certainly hope they’ll come around and that they recognize that moving people around our city during the Olympics in a way that as a nation we can be proud of is part of what’s being done right now. I am deeply worried about the constant attempts to cut federal funding for infrastructure that we’re seeing.”
“Every message coming out of this administration right now is about stopping money or taking money back, not about putting it into investment,” said Larsen, ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “It would be a shame when the U.S. wins the gold medal race in the 2028 Olympics, we tie with North Korea in best infrastructure. Let’s get this money invested in the ground where it belongs, jobs created, so that the United States, not just L.A., can be as proud as possible and as ready as possible.”
Metro representatives led Friedman, Larsen and Yaroslavsky on a tour of the Wilshire/La Brea subway station after the press conference. Members of the media were not allowed underground into the station.
However, Yaroslavsky said the first phase of the D Line subway extension project between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega is on track to open “this fall” as planned. While no date has been announced, she said it may open around the end of October.