Antelope Valley and LA Transportation Receive over $100M

Last week, on June 30th, the California State Transportation Agency announced the 14 recipients of this year’s $224 million in competitive grants that support reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emmissions and high-quality public transportation.  The funds are a part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that come from the state’s cap-and-trade proceeds [a program that caps the pollutants allowed by companies and penalizes companies that exceed their emission allowance; the cap is lowered over time to ensure less global warming pollution each year].

Among the 14 award recipients were AVTA, Metro, and Metrolink.  Here is a brief overview of just those three awards:

1.) Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA)
Awarded $24.4 million with nearly $15 million in matching funds for a total of nearly $40 million.

AVTA was the first to receive the 40-foot BYD electric bus (American-made in BYD’s Lancaster, CA factory)

The goal is to reduce GHG emissions and increase ridership through developing a major Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route in Lancaster and Palmdale with a major commitment to all electric buses and supporting infrastructure.  The new BRT will launch at least two routes to the San Fernando Valley and Downtown Los Angeles providing a first-ever major demonstration of long-distance electric bus technology.  AVTA is to purchase 29 all-electric buses, develop hard wired charging stations for up to 80 buses, build 4 wireless charging stations, and pour $1.4 million over 3 years into research and development of a more powerful wireless charging system.  It is expected that the all-electric buses will be purchased from BYD as AVTA already has two BYD buses and the AVTA board of directors, with a unanimous vote in February, have already authorized the purchase of more buses from BYD.

2.) Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO)
Awarded $38.5 million with over $108 million in matching funds for a total of nearly $147 million.

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The goal is to reduce GHG emissions and prepare for increased ridership on Metro’s oldest and most heavily used light rail line and one of the busiest in the nation, the Blue Line, by improving the Blue Line stations and supporting infrastructure.  This will result in greater reliability and increased frequency to a major transfer station.  This will help prepare the Blue Line for future increased demand to Downtown Los Angeles’ Union Station (Metrolink, Amtrak, and future High Speed Rail connections), Expo, and Gold Line stations once the Regional Interconnector project is complete.  The funds will also be used to revitalize and significantly improve the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Blue Line Station which links to the Green Line/LAX Airport.

An artist’s rendering of the proposed improvements including a civic plaza gateway to the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station.

3.) Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink)
Awarded $41.2 million with nearly $17 million in matching funds for a total of over $58 million

General Electric (GE) Tier 4 Locomotive

Metrolink is Southern California’s regional commuter rail service operating over seven routes through six counties and is the third largest commuter rail in the United States based on their 512 route-mile network.  Their award will help provide cleaner, safer, more reliable and faster travel throughout the entire Metrolink service by purchasing nine new, low-emission, Tier 4 locomotives.  Metrolink is the first commuter rail system in the country to acquire the new highly efficient, 50% greater horsepower (compared to Tier 0), Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) Tier 4 locomotives.  Seven of the nine locomotives will be used to replace existing locomotives while two locomotives will be used to increase service on the Antelope Valley and Ventura County lines within Los Angeles County both of which provide connectivity to current Amtrak and future High Speed Rail services.  The nine new Tier 4 locomotives are in addition to 20 new Tier 4 locomotives Metrolink ordered last year which will begin operation in late 2016.

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So here is the takeaway…Southern California is getting really serious about environmentally friendly public transportation.  From all-electric buses to low emission locomotives, the time for investors to invest near transportation hubs is NOW.  New businesses, restaurants, offices, and other developments will boom around transportation hubs as tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars pour in to enhance and revitalize the stations and infrastructures.  Consider the surge in population growth as ridership increases!  

Those invested near BYD, good job.  Those invested near high-speed rail stations, good job.  Those of you who haven’t invested yet…what are you waiting for?  Don’t wait until the proverbial train has left the station to get serious about investing.  If you’re a procrastinator and love waiting to the last minute, then pat yourself on the back because this is truly the VERY LAST MINUTE TO GET IN.  Carefully investing over the next few months could set you up for life. Learn right NOW how you can benefit by getting a piece of the Public Transportation BOOM pie!