Congresswoman Waters Applauds Federal Support for Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor and 30/10 Initiative

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) announced her support for a new $546 million federal loan to support the construction of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor today at a press conference in Leimert Park.  The new loan is the first major federal funding commitment for the 30/10 Initiative.  She issued the following statement:

"I am proud to join all of you to celebrate the first major federal funding commitment for the 30/10 Initiative. 

Metro's 30/10 Initiative will expedite the construction of 12 key Metro projects, including two that will serve my congressional district:  the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor and the Green Line Extension to LAX. 

Metro developed the 30/10 Initiative to complete these vital transit projects in 10 years instead of 30 by using the long-term revenue from the Measure R sales tax to leverage federal loans and long-term bonds.  The 30/10 Initiative will create jobs now when our economy really needs them and give our region the benefits of an enhanced public transportation system two decades before it would have been possible without federal support.  Taken together, the 30/10 projects will create over one hundred thousand new jobs and improve transit infrastructure throughout Los Angeles County.

I am especially proud that the first major federal funding for the 30/10 Initiative will be used for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor.  This new light rail project will extend from Exposition Boulevard in the north to LAX and the Green Line in the south.  I have long been an advocate for connecting LAX to the regional transit system, and I am excited to see this project moving forward.

The 30/10 Initiative will allow the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor to be completed by 2016, two years earlier than originally scheduled.  When it's completed, this project will improve air quality and relieve traffic congestion in my district, and it will allow travelers from all across the region to come to LAX without the hassle of driving and without looking for a parking space.  The Corridor will provide my constituents easier access to work, school, shopping, entertainment, and everything else Los Angeles has to offer. 

This new federal support will create thousands of new jobs, stimulate our local economy, and help Metro build a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way for all of us to get around."

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