(INGLEWOOD, CA) – Fulfilling her commitment to improve infrastructure and bring state investments to the South Bay, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D - Inglewood) today announced that the California State Transportation Agency has awarded $407 million to support construction of the Inglewood Transportation Connector (ITC), a 1.6-mile automated transit system that will connect the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (Metro) Downtown Inglewood K Line Station to the City’s premier sports and entertainment venues, and housing and commercial centers.
As the region prepares for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the ITC has emerged as a transit priority for the State, receiving $407 million of the $1.3 billion that was designated for projects in Southern California through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). TIRCP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. This cycle comes from the state General Fund as a part of a $15 billion multiyear transportation infrastructure package enacted in the 2022-2023 state budget. With this significant State investment, the project is poised to apply for a Capital Investment Grant through the Federal Transportation Authority, which will provide the remaining funds necessary to move into construction.
“California’s award supporting the Inglewood Transit Connector will be transformative not just for the City of Inglewood, but for communities throughout the South Bay and Los Angeles County,” said Assemblymember Tina McKinnor. “This investment will build upon Inglewood’s renaissance and demonstrate the State of California’s commitment to improve local air quality, create good paying jobs and enhance the tremendous economic growth taking place in the state’s newest and biggest sports and entertainment district in California.”
With a station serving downtown Inglewood at Market Street, and two stations along Prairie Avenue, the ITC has been designed to provide safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly service to the Kia Forum, Sofi Stadium and Hollywood Park, as well as Intuit Dome, which opens in 2024.
“The City of Inglewood is on the move – both literally and figuratively. Over the past decade we have been able to attract unprecedented economic investment in our City, but it’s success will ultimately be based on whether our residents, employees and patrons have a quality transit option to get to these new amenities,” said Inglewood Mayor and Metro Board member James T. Butts. “I want to thank Governor Newson, our partners at the California State Transportation Agency, and our legislative delegation, for making a significant financial investment in the Inglewood Transit Connector, which paves the way in making this project not just a vision, but reality.”
The project represents an unprecedented public-private collaboration, designed to create a significant “first-last mile” connection between LA County’s rail system and one of the region’s most catalytic job and entertainment centers. In May 2022, the City prequalified three development teams, who have been engaged in procurement discussions, and are anticipated to bid on the project, under a novel alternative delivery concept where the developer team is responsible for design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of the project.
“I congratulate the Inglewood Transit Connector on receiving this award as part of the Newsom Administration’s historic investments in transit and intercity rail projects,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “This funding will help get this transformative project over the finish line and into operation so area residents can enjoy more of the mobility, safety, environmental and equity benefits that come with riding transit.”
In addition to creating a transit connection to thousands of new housing units and millions of square feet of retail centers, the ITC Project is being designed to support a capacity of up to 11,000 travelers per hour to accommodate thousands of employees and fans traveling to Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and LA Clippers games, as well as to a plethora of other concerts and events that are anticipated to occur each year at the various venues. The City estimates that the ITC Project will generate approximately 9.7 million annual boardings on the regional transportation system in 2028, and prevent 3.9 billion vehicle miles travelled over the life of the project.
“Today's funding decision to award TIRCP funds to the Inglewood Transit Connector means continued progress on our region's transit future,” said L.A. County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Holly J. Mitchell. “Through improved mobility and accessibility, transit has the power to strengthen outcomes in underinvested communities and support economic revitalization and redevelopment.”
With over 14,000 jobs anticipated to be created, the ITC Project will create significant opportunities for the surrounding workforce to benefit both during construction and operations. The ITC JPA has set a goal that disadvantaged businesses enterprises receive 16% of contracting opportunities and it is also making plans to engage a broad spectrum of small business participation in all components of the project.
The investment in this clean transit project is anticipated to result in a reduction of 1.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gasses over the life of the project, which is equivalent to avoiding the burning of 1.3 billion pounds of coal.
For more information about the Inglewood Transit Connector, please visit www.envisioninglewood.org