Draft federal 2022 Omnibus Spending bill has earmarks for local transit projects, including funds for Inglewood

WASHINGTON, DC – The draft 2022 Omnibus Spending bill has been released which includes funding for several local projects including the Inglewood Transit Connector to ensure it is completed by the 2028 Olympics.

Sen. Alex Padilla and Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced the Transportation Assistance for Olympic Cities Act in June, with Reps. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, and Grace Napolitano, D-El Monte, aimed at improving Los Angeles’ transportation infrastructure ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic games.

“While the eyes of the world will be on the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, the work preparing our region for this grand stage is already starting,” Sen. Alex Padilla said. “The transportation plans made in the coming years will not only make the Olympics and Paralympics run smoothly, but will also be an investment that will benefit commuters and the region for decades to come.”

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Padilla’s office said the act would allow the US Department of Transportation to give Los Angeles priority for federal transportation grants for projects related to the Olympics. It would also direct the department to provide planning assistance for the games, including developing intermodal transportation plans and expediting federal review of requests related to Olympic events.

The draft spending bill includes funding for projects supported by Feinstein and Padilla.

Draft federal 2022 omnibus spending bill has following earmarks for LA Metro projects.

• West Santa Ana Branch: $1m, plus $750k for OCTA to study Orange County extension
• East San Fernando Valley: $5m
• Inglewood people mover: $5m
• Sepulveda: $3.5m https://t.co/hAy0EPDTPO pic.twitter.com/kMSgLGx4ev

— numble (@numble) March 9, 2022

Inglewood is still roughly $800 million short on the funding needed, for the shovel to hit the dirt, to begin construction they hope to have completed by 2027.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts and the council have been busy spending out of the city’s general fund by awarding multi-million dollar contracts to consultants working on the project.

The City expects to be reimbursed by Metro since the funding source listed on staff reports indicates that’s where it’s coming from, however, the City’s last audited financial statements showed nearly $3 million owed by the transit agency for work already performed.

“If we don’t receive all the funds we will halt the project where it stands,” Butts said.

Where will the City come up with the rest of the funding?

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