Stephanie Wiggins
Good morning. Thank you all for joining us today to monitor and celebrate what teamwork can do for the region. Metro is fortunate to have a board of directors who understand that teamwork makes the dream work, especially ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The federal funding Metro recently received is a perfect example of what happens when local, regional, and federal partners work and advocate together. The partnership between LA28, LA County, and our federal leaders shows us what can be done when we form a united front. Metro is committed to providing world-class mobility across LA County and to continuing our strong partnerships in reshaping transforming and reimagining mobility in our region.
I want to take a moment to salute Senator Padilla for his remarkable leadership. Metro is proud to be a full partner with the Senator. On this success we mark today, as well as success we will mark in the future with the San Fernando Valley. Without further ado, please help me welcome Metros chair and our Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass.
Karen Bass
Good morning, everyone, it is wonderful to start a day off by talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. Let me thank our outstanding CEO, Stephanie Wiggins, for leading this. I want to join in thanking and acknowledging Senator Padilla, for continuing to deliver this funding to Los Angeles. But, this is just one area of funding. If I add all of the money you have brought to our city over this last year and into the state, it's in the billions. We want to thank you.
Last month, I led a delegation to Paris because we didn't want to wait for the Games to start to find out how they were preparing, and that same attitude of urgent preparation is what we are doing here today. We're fortunate to have LA28’s leader, Casey Wasserman, who wanted to see firsthand the nearly $900 million in federal funding that is coming to the region to expand the metros rail system, ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This will be vital for our success.
None of that would be possible without the Biden-Harris administration leading on this important issue. Preparing for the 2028 Games and many other international sporting events will take all levels of government working together. Los Angeles appreciates having such strong and dedicated partners in Sacramento and D.C. When we were in Paris, the message was clear.
There is no time to waste in preparing for the Games, so I look forward to more accessibility and easier travel for Metro’s current and future riders as we continue preparing to be on the world stage. It is my great honor to introduce our Senator, Alex Padilla.
Alex Padilla
The $900 million that we're announcing today is a combination of money in the recently approved FY2024 Appropriations Bills, as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that was passed a couple of years ago.
Casey Wasserman will be the first to join me in saying-- while we're celebrating these investments in preparation for the Olympics, the people of Los Angeles will see the benefits before, during, and after the 2028 Olympics. As you've heard, in four short years, we're going to be hosting the Olympics. Regarding today's historic announcement of $900 million in federal investments, coming to Los Angeles, Stephen has already given us a sneak preview of what this means: the purple line extension, the light rail project in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.
We truly have a responsibility not just to make the Games run, but to ensure these important investments are in communities that have been here for a long time and will continue to be here for a long time. Especially communities of color and those historically left out and overlooked when it comes to significant infrastructure investments. It's not a coincidence. It's often underserved communities that are left with increased pollution and lower access to job opportunities, leading to lower life expectancy, amongst other challenges. Today, as part of the $900 million that we're celebrating, let's celebrate the nearly $140 million of federal funding targeted to reconnect communities here in Los Angeles.
One of the first Bills I introduced in 2021 was to remove barriers to mobility, and it became a component of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. You see some of the tangible impacts as images here. We're talking about improved bus services that connect more Angelenos to job opportunities. We're talking about Bikeshare stations to help students get to their college campuses. We're talking about mobility hubs for efficiency. There’s a significant reason to celebrate the funding and federal, state, and local collaboration that's making it possible.
We will be ready for the Games, correcting decades of division in our communities to create a better quality of life for all Angelenos. I'm so thankful to all the people who are working together to make it all happen.
Casey Wasserman
We have a world-class team. When the world comes to Los Angeles in 2028, they will experience Games and transportation that celebrate the people and the communities of our city. These Games are not just LA's Games, these are America's Games. The support of the federal government is essential. I'm grateful to the Administration, Congress, and the US Department of Transportation for all their partnerships.
This grant is an example of the ongoing collaboration with federal, state, county, and city leaders to help deliver ambitious transportation. In addition, LA28 is accelerating projects that will build LA's mobility future, while also supporting gametime transportation. That's why we are so proud to join our federal representatives and local government partners to advocate in Washington D.C. for projects that will bring lasting benefits to Los Angeles, from bus-only lanes to mobility hubs, and innovative first and last-mile improvements.
In 15,163 days, in case you're counting, the greatest athletes in the world will compete in Los Angeles, here, and in stadiums throughout Southern California. They will be at their best, and they expect us to be at our best. Days like today exemplify the collective strength needed to host the Games and what that can mean for our region. I want to thank all of our government leaders and many others, we are well-positioned to host the greatest Games on Earth worthy of our city and worthy of our communities. We can't wait for 2028.