Congressman Robert Garcia Calls for Additional Support to L.A. Metro’s West Santa Ana Branch Project and Expanded Access to Affordable, Safe, and Sustainable Transportation

Washington D.C.— Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) dubbed L.A. Metro’s West Santa Ana Branch Project a top regional priority and urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to allocate $50 million in support. The project will create a new light rail line connecting Southeast Los Angeles and the Gateway Cities—diverse, working-class neighborhoods of color—with Downtown L.A. and represents a huge step forward for public transportation in Southern California.

“This is one of the biggest infrastructure priorities not just for my district but our entire region,” said Congressman Garcia. “Safe, accessible, and affordable transportation is a basic right and it’s essential we connect our Southeast and Gateway communities to Downtown and the rest of L.A. County.”

The new line will run from Downtown Los Angeles and connect the cities of Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, Cerritos, and Artesia to Metro’s light rail system. Many of the communities served by the project are low-income and more likely than other parts of L.A. County to rely on public transportation. Securing these additional resources from the Department of Transportation would be a significant investment in reducing vehicle emissions, improving roadway congestion, and expanding access to transportation in some of the region’s most historically underserved communities.

To read the full letter, please click here. 

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