Inglewood City Council Approves Funding Agreement for the Operations and Maintenance of the Inglewood Transit Connector
INGLEWOOD – In Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project achieved a significant milestone towards securing critical operation and maintenance dollars.
While construction costs for the 1.6-mile automated transit line are anticipated to be covered by regional, state, and federal grants, today the city dedicated certain transportation and infrastructure-related city funds to help cover a portion of the cost for the ITC’s ongoing operation and maintenance.
The $7.6 million annual contribution is slated to occur in time to provide passenger service for the LA 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The remaining costs required to fully cover operation and maintenance costs are anticipated to be covered by farebox, concessions, and advertising revenues, as well as state and federal grants and other local funding sources. The city’s vote demonstrates its commitment to relieving traffic congestion, connecting the city to the regional rail system, improving overall air quality, and reducing greenhouse gases in the city and the region at large.
“Inglewood is all in on the ITC," said Mayor James T. Butts after the vote. "The ITC is a crucial component of the Inglewood Renaissance – we are growing our economic base exponentially, but we are also managing that growth responsibly. Today we’ve shown that we are not just asking other stakeholders and government agencies to support transportation in Inglewood, but rather to join with us.”
Additionally, the city is now working with Murphy’s Bowl, the development entity for the Los Angeles Clippers, to repurpose portions of the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center transportation mitigation funding program, which includes a robust shuttle program, to support the operation and maintenance costs for the ITC, consistent with the Development Agreement.
“Inglewood residents will benefit from innovative state-of-the-art transportation solutions designed to relieve traffic congestion and improve the quality of life in the community. The ITC will require workers to operate and maintain the system, provide customer service and security, and ensure the landscaping and facilities are kept in stellar condition," said Councilmember Faulk.
“Should this project receive federal funding and move forward, it will be another opportunity for an investment in our local economy and our local workforce,” said Councilmember Gloria Gray. With significant requirements around local hiring, as well as the utilization of small and disadvantaged businesses, we have an expectation that these dollars invested will be reinvested in our people and our community.”
“If we are serious about attracting an unprecedented transit investment in our city, we must show our partners that we are also willing to make a meaningful investment,” said Councilmember Eloy Morales. "This is a critical moment for the ITC project, and we are doubling down on our commitment and resolve to get this done.”
“This is an investment in the future of our city - it’s an investment in jobs, in businesses, and in the environment - and it’s an investment in the quality of life of our residents for decades to come,” said
Councilmember Alex Padilla
The ITC is poised to address a critical gap in the region’s transportation network by connecting the Metro K Line to the Kia Forum, SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and the Intuit Dome, as well as to the thousands of units of housing and millions of square feet of commercial space that have been developed or are in the pipeline. In addition to addressing a “first/last” mile gap and facilitating congestion relief, the ITC is designed to relieve overflow traffic and parking in venue-adjacent neighborhoods, dramatically reduce greenhouse gases through a reduction in millions of vehicle miles traveled, and create thousands of construction and permanent jobs and economic investment within the city.
To date, the city has secured over $865 million dollars in local, state, and federal funding to support the ITC’sdesign and construction costs.