WEST HOLLYWOOD—A $100 million federal grant has been secured for the Purple Line Extension between Century City and the Westwood/VA Hospital. The Federal Trust Administration approved the $100 million in New Starts funding for the third section of the Purple Line Extension.

New Starts money supplements dollars from the Measure R and M sales taxes. Metro stated that Measure R is a half-cent sales tax for Los Angeles County to finance new transportation projects and programs. The tax took effect in July 2009. The Measure R Expenditure Plan dedicate funds to the following categories: 35 percent to new rail and bus rapid transit projects, 3 percent to Metrolink projects, 2 percent to Metro Rail system improvement projects, 20 percent to carpool lanes, highways and other highway related improvements, 5 percent to rail operations, 20 percent to bus operations, and 15 percent for local city sponsored improvements.

According to the Los Angeles County City Council, Measure M adopts an ordinance known as the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan proposed by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, which placed this measure on the ballot in 2016. The ordinance would impose retail transactions and use tax at the rate of .5 percent within Los Angeles County.

Metro has applied for $1.3 billion in New Starts funding for the third section of the Purple Line. The $100 million helps the Federal Transportation Agency will continue to fund the extension to meet the projected deadline of completing the Purple Line to Westwood by 2026. Section 3 is the last section of the Purple Line Extension Transit Project, which will add 2.56 miles of new rail to Metro’s Rail system and connect downtown Los Angeles to the Westside.

According to the Metro website, the two new stations will be added at Wilshire/Westwood and Wilshire/Veteran Administration property. Currently, in pre-construction, the project is anticipated to begin construction in 2019.