California leaders seek public transit funding

California State Sen. Ben Allen and Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian recently announced that they join other Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) leaders in seeking public transit funding for California.

Over 1.4 billion passenger trips are taken in California each year.

Both public transit supporters and legislators want a more balanced perspective of repairing and investing in roads and public transit.

The leaders and important regional transit advocates are requesting more than $900 million for each year. All of the funds would be used for California’s public transit. Millions would be brought to LA County to improve and maintain existing transit systems and future transit options.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has asked for a Special Session on Transportation. This session would focus on raising finances to improve bridges, streets and freeways.

California’s transit infrastructure has a funding shortfall amount to approximately $72 billion for the next ten years. Transit is considered the “pressure relief valve” for highways and roads that can’t be any further expanded. Transit must be part of LA’s mix of multi-modal transportation funding solutions.

Analysts and leaders have demonstrated that the area’s transit expansion at a press conference. The officials staged information about the I-10 freeway, which is one of the area’s busiest freeways.