The Inglewood Transit Connector Project was a proposed 1.6-mile (2.6 km) fully elevated, automated people mover system in Inglewood, California, that would have connected the Downtown Inglewood station on the K Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system to the major sports and entertainment venues in the city: Kia Forum, SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park Casino, and Intuit Dome. The project was planned to break ground in 2024 and begin operations in late 2027, ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics that will use some of the venues. However, after funding rejections, the line is not likely to be built.
| Inglewood Transit Connector | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Rendering of the proposed Inglewood Transit Connector | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Cancelled | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | City of Inglewood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Inglewood, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | inglewoodtransitconnector | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Automated people mover | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Elevate Inglewood Partners | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 1.6 mi (2.6 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Character | Fully elevated | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The project was managed by the Inglewood Transit Connector Joint Powers Authority (ITCJPA), a partnership between the City of Inglewood and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), representing the County of Los Angeles.[1]
History
edit
The project is part of the Envision Inglewood plan, that was the culmination of several transportation and mobility initiatives to be undertaken by the City including a citywide event transportation management and operations plan, mobility plan, neighborhood protection plan, and the Inglewood Transit Connector Project that would connect the under-construction Downtown Inglewood station on the Metro K Line to Kia Forum, SoFi Stadium, mixed-use development at Hollywood Park, and Intuit Dome.[2][3]
In April 2020, the City was awarded $95.2 million from the California State Transportation Agency's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program,[4] and in July 2021 Metro allocated $233.7 million in Measure R sales tax funds.[5] As of 2021, the City has secured approximately $328.9 million in committed funding for the implementation of the Project out of the $2 billion dollars needed.[6] By the close of 2023, the project had secured $873 million in local, state, and federal funds.[7] In January 2024, the FTA announced an $1 billion commitment towards the project via a Capital Investment Grant, covering 50% of the approximately $2 billion total project cost.[8]
On April 1, 2024, the ITCJPA officially began pre-construction work on the project, starting with utility relocations on Prairie Avenue and intersecting streets between Manchester Avenue and Century Boulevard.[9]
On July 22, 2024, the city of Inglewood announced that the project would be built and operated by Elevate Inglewood Partners.[10] The partnership includes Tutor Perini Corporation as lead contractor, Parsons Transportation Group as lead design company, a joint venture of Alternate Concepts, Inc. and Plenary Americas as lead operations and maintenance provider, and Woojin Industrial Systems as rolling stock technology provider.
Representative Maxine Waters, who had supported the project early on, came out against the project on July 18, 2024, writing a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg calling the project ridiculous and too costly as it would only serve the needs of visitors to the sports and entertainment venues and would not provide convenient connectivity for local residents. After the letter went out, the House stripped $200 million in funding for the project from a draft budget bill.[11]
The South Bay Cities Council of Government denied the project an additional $493 million in October 2024 which was needed to build the line and jeopardized $1 billion of federal matching funds. At about the same time, Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer came out against the project over concerns that it would cut into their property line and could lead to the loss of a traffic lane outside of their stadiums. After the funding denial and amid opposition by Waters, Kroenke and Ballmer, Inglewood mayor James Butts conceded that the project was likely dead. He told the Los Angeles Times, "I don’t give up on anything, but I am realistic. It was voted down. So, for all intents and purposes, that’s it."[12]
Procurement
editThe City plans to complete the project using an alternative delivery approach known as public–private partnership. In December 2021, the City has launched the procurement process for the project with two parallel requests for qualifications (RFQ) issued to the private sector: one for the design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of the project and one for the proposed the transit technology to be used.[13]
System
editThe automated transit system will be fully elevated and travel from the Metro K Line's Downtown Inglewood Station at Market Street/Florence Avenue southbound along Market Street, eastbound along Manchester Boulevard, southbound along Prairie Avenue and terminate at Hardy Avenue. The Project will have three stations including one at Market Street / Florence Avenue, Manchester Boulevard / Prairie Avenue, and Hardy Street / Prairie Avenue.[14] The transit system technology and vehicles are expected to be selected through a competitive procurement process.[15]
References
edit- ^ JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY - ITC PROJECT
- ^ Editorial Board. "Editorial: Want football fans to take transit? Build a people mover to the new Inglewood stadium". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Inglewood Transportation Infrastructure Plan | Envision Inglewood". Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ CalSTA Award Summary (PDF) (Report).
- ^ "Metro Source".
- ^ "Details Emerge for Proposed Inglewood People Mover". August 12, 2020.
- ^ Luczak, Marybeth (January 5, 2024). "Inglewood Transit Connector Project Lands $1B Federal Grant". Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ Inglewood Transit Connector Project (PDF) (Report). Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Elevate Inglewood Partners Selected as ITC Developer.
- ^ Uranga, Rachel (July 18, 2024). "Rep. Maxine Waters seeks to stop 'ridiculous' $2-billion SoFi transit project ahead of Olympics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Uranga, Rachel (October 25, 2024). "Clippers and Rams owners come out against Inglewood people mover, as $2.4-billion project falters". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ "RFQ deadline extended for Inglewood Transit Connector". February 15, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
- ^ Sharp, Steven (April 21, 2022). "Inglewood City Council approves $1.4B people mover". Urbanize LA. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Envision Inglewood (PDF) (Report). City of Inglewood. Retrieved April 22, 2020.