As the Trump administration continues to threaten various departments, programs and projects across the country, local officials and transportation experts are on alert to see how or if it will affect the subway as the city waits for millions of dollars to expand the rail line, as well as answers to the 2022 Olympics 2028 billion doll application.
The Metropolitan Transportation Agency relies heavily on federal funds for daily transport operations and major projects including the construction of the Purple Line Expansion Project, which will extend the route from Koreatown to Miracle Mile and last year the Biden administration awarded nearly $900 million to the East San Fernando Valley Line.
Metro continues to evaluate the promised federal funding remains vulnerable.
“At present, we have not interrupted the flow of federal funds,” said Michael Turner, executive officer of Metro Government. “For decades, we have worked with the Congressional delegation, and we have worked with the Republican and Democratic administration in Washington to advance our plans and we will continue to do that here.”
An imminent question is how the Trump administration will respond to last year’s $3.2 billion demand for funding Olympic transportation programs. Much of the requirement is part of renting nearly 3,000 buses, as part of the city’s drive to expand its transportation network in the county-wide race.
“We will continue to plan as if we were fully funded. And we really have no indication that they are not funding for our programs and Olympic aspirations. “So, we will assume we will work with them.” ”
The Ministry of Transport issued a memorandum earlier this year stating that funds will prioritize areas with high marriage and birth rates and unauthorized vaccines. Hahn said it was like a “covering threat” view, with funds going from blue to red states and raising concerns about the decisions that might come with it.
“I hope this is not true, but think that’s why we kind of realize that the standards for funding our projects may have different standards, not just the importance and benefits that the projects bring to Californians,” she said.
Hahn said the first Trump administration has worked well with the Metro, but this time, the state may have broader demand this time if the Department of Transportation makes major changes to its policies.
Convention raiser Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) recently introduced a bill that would require voters to approve a $20 billion bond in 2026 to fund transportation projects across California. The bill is supported by the subway.
Eli Lipmen, executive director of transportation advocacy group Move LA, said voters have supported sales tax measures in the past, which makes Los Angeles “less dependent on Congress in Congress or who is in the White House.” However, there are still concerns about how the government can affect large-scale projects in public transport.
So far, the Department of Transportation’s main focus in California is the state’s high-speed rail project, which is currently under compliance reviews that could impact its future federal funding. At a recent press conference at Union Station, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy called the train a “bad project” and said the state must be held accountable for its spending. The project faces ongoing challenges in budget and timelines, and has already spent more than $13 billion. The route was not completed, and the authorities estimated that the budget exceeded $100 billion from the initially recommended budget.
Transit experts say the decision to withdraw federal funds from high-speed rail projects could have a ripple effect in other major projects in the state.
If the costs of building materials such as steel, wood and concrete continue to rise, tariffs could also pose obstacles to infrastructure projects.
“These tariff threats are directly opposite to lowering the cost of the average American, but the opposite is the cost of the big projects that I think we need to put into this country,” said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale).
Friedman, Friedman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently highlighted California’s status as a donor to show why federal funding should continue to be obtained.
“California sends more money to federal governments scattered across the country,” she said. Purple D-line expansion project.
“We are not asking other states to send money to us, but we are going to be back from the fire when we need it, and when we are hosting the Olympics for the whole of the United States, just keep some money.”
Times staff writer Ian James contributed to the report.
