$2B in Funding Released for California Public Transpo.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the release of nearly $2 billion in funding for public transportation projects across the state, including a long-planned extension of Metro light rail service into San Bernardino County.

Originally, this funding, approved as part of SB 125 in 2023, was scheduled to be released by the state in April 2024. However, due to a budget shortfall, the California Finance Department implemented a 60-day hold on all unallocated funding, temporarily delaying the release. This hold has now been lifted, allowing the funds to be distributed to various projects by 22 different agencies across the state.

Among the newly released funds is $500 million for Metro's extension of the A Line from Pomona to Claremont and Montclair. This 3.2-mile addition will make the A Line the first light rail line to extend beyond Los Angeles County into San Bernardino County, creating a corridor spanning more than 50 miles between Montclair and Long Beach, with stops in Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena.

State officials have also indicated that the remaining $298 million allocated for the A Line extension will be issued before the end of 2024. According to The Daily News, San Bernardino County is prepared to spend $80 million to cover the one mile of new rail within its borders. This extension is expected to handle roughly 8,000 daily boardings.

The under-construction extension of the A Line from Azusa to Pomona is nearing 90 percent completion, based on information from the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. Testing for the extension is currently underway, with completion expected by early next year.

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