INGLEWOOD- In a show of unanimous support for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) voted yesterday to re-prioritize over $100 million originally allocated to fund a proposed Centinela grade separation project, to instead serve as “backstop” or reserve funding, for the ITC.
With the SBCCOG’s vote, the ITC, a proposed transit line still in its planning stages, reaches an important financing milestone. To satisfy financing partners and federal transit authorities, the project must also have substantial reserves beyond the 25-30% contingency already built into the project budget, to be used in the event that unforeseen circumstances arise that require additional funding to complete the project.
Mayor James T. Butts, who brought the motion before the council, expressed his appreciation.
“The entire South Bay has participated in Inglewood’s Renaissance, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the continued support demonstrated by this vote,” he said, adding “We aren’t just individual cities; we are managing an ecosystem of transportation solutions designed to propel and support commercial and housing development and economic growth in a way that benefits the entire region.”
Representatives from the offices of Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, and Councilmember Tim McOsker all voiced their support. In addition, residents, business owners, labor and environmental leaders emphasized the importance of the project to the community and the region at-large.
“The ITC takes priority,” said SBCCOG Transportation Chair and El Segundo City Councilmember Chris Pimentel. “This reinforces the ability of the project to move forward and help achieve the regional benefit of fixing the traffic and congestion around the venues which serves all of our communities and beyond.”
Torrance Mayor and SBCCOG Board Director George Chen agreed. “The Inglewood Transit Connector Project is a critical missing component of our region’s transit system, and we must all work with urgency to move it forward,” Chen said. “The C-Line Extension to Torrance will connect with this critical project in the near future and provide world class transportation for our residents and the entire region.”
In addition to addressing a “first/last” mile gap between the Metro K Line Downtown Inglewood Station and the Kia Forum, Sofi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and the Intuit Dome, as well as thousands of housing units and millions of square feet of commercial space that has been created or in the pipeline, the 1.6-mile transit line is anticipated to reduce greenhouse gases through a reduction in millions of vehicle miles traveled and to create thousands of construction and permanent jobs and broader economic investment in a traditionally underserved community.
In redirecting funding to the ITC, the SBCCOG demonstrates that the proposed people mover is a priority solution to address critical traffic and congestion issues that impact the entire South Bay region.
Updated analyses of the Centinela grade separation project found key areas of concern that caused the SBCCOG to reconsider the original allocation. The first has to do with technical complications that interfere with the ITC’s construction schedule, jeopardizing its ability to be operational before the 2028 Olympics. In addition, costs for the project had increased to more than $300 million.
“With this vote, the South Bay COG continues to demonstrate its support for Inglewood’s role in creating regional transportation solutions,” said Inglewood Councilmember Eloy Morales. “The ITC is in a critical stage of planning, and having backstop funding in place will help us keep moving forward.”
The ITC has made significant strides over the past year, having received compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and securing more than $765 million in local, state and federal funds, including $233.3 million of Measure R funding which had previously been allocated to the project based on the SBCCOG’s support. The funding that has been secured to date is anticipated to provide the non-federal match needed to secure a federal Capital Investment Grant, administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Collectively, grant sources are anticipated to fully fund construction.
With the objective of providing passenger service before the 2028 Olympic Games, the ITC Joint Powers Authority (JPA), was established in 2022 by the City and LA Metro for the sole purpose of designing, constructing, financing, operating, and maintaining the ITC. The City of Inglewood, acting as an administrator to the JPA, has qualified three developer teams who are anticipated to bid on the project.
The SBCCOG represents 16 cities, the Harbor-area communities of the City of Los Angeles and a portion of unincorporated Los Angeles County.
