L.A. Mayor in D.C. to Clinch $1.25 Bil Grant to Extend Purple Line

Originally posted at 2:35 p.m. May 20, 2014. Edited to fix typo.

Mayor Eric Garcetti will join U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in Washington, D.C., tomorrow to announce a $1.25 billion federal grant that will be used to help build a westward extension of the Metro Purple Line subway.

The funds will go toward extending the line 3.9 miles along Wilshire Boulevard, from its current terminus at Western Avenue and ending at La Cienega Boulevard.

The Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration is committing the $1.25 billion through a funding grant agreement with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Another Metro project, the Regional Connector -- which will link the Blue, Gold and Expo lines for smoother travel across the county -- recently secured $670 million as the result of a similar agreement with the FTA.

Garcetti is scheduled to leave Los Angeles tonight to take part in the news conference, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday.

Garcetti will also be joined by Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both D-Calif. Other elected officials are also expected to attend, along with Metro Board Chair Diane Dubois and CEO Art Leahy.

The mayor plans to meet with some other members of Congress before flying back to Los Angeles Wednesday night.

--City News Service