Clinton OKs Funding for Metro Rail’s Valley Extension : Transit: System will get $170 million, including $33 million to bring Red Line to North Hollywood.

President Clinton has approved $170 million to fund the Los Angeles Metro Rail subway, including about $33 million to bring the Red Line to North Hollywood.

The money is less than the $190 million proponents sought this year but more than the $150 million or so they had expected to receive. It is included in the 1994 transportation spending bill, which Clinton signed late Wednesday. Congress passed the bill last week.

Rep. Julian Dixon (D-Los Angeles), a member of the House Appropriations Committee and leading Metro Rail proponent, hailed the new funding as a major boost for the city’s economy.

“These funds will enable Los Angeles to move forward on building a reliable and efficient public transit system that ultimately will provide opportunities and jobs for communities that are transit-dependent,” Dixon said.

The measure provides $100 million to be divided equally between three planned extensions of segment three: north from Hollywood and Vine boulevards in Hollywood to Lankershim and Chandler boulevards in North Hollywood; west from the Mid-City district to Pico and San Vicente boulevards, and east from Union Station into East Los Angeles. Those legs are to be completed by 2001.

The other $70 million will complete the subway’s second segment, which runs from Wilshire Boulevard and Alvarado Street to Wilshire and Western avenues, and north along Vermont Avenue to Hollywood and Vine. This amount completes the $667-million federal contribution for that portion of the project.

In addition to the Red Line funds, Congress also appropriated $8 million for further construction of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Gateway project at Union Station, which has been touted as an urban regional transit hub. The facility is intended to be a combination of corporate offices and a nexus of rail, subway, Amtrak, bus, taxi and car-pool services.

Los Angeles transit officials had requested $18 million for the project in the next fiscal year.

The measure also provides $6.25 million for the advanced technology bus program, which seeks to develop low-emission, lightweight buses built with material similar to that used on the B-2 stealth bomber.

In Los Angeles, MTA officials emphasized that the new funding will create many jobs.

“We are very pleased that California’s members of Congress worked so diligently to ensure that transportation projects will continue to be a priority in this state, creating much needed jobs,” said MTA Chief Executive Officer Franklin White. “The bill signed by President Clinton assures Los Angeles $170 million (for the) continued construction of the Metro Red Line subway, which will create more than 100,000 jobs.”

Others singled out the importance of the bus program, and its importance in helping convert defense and aerospace technologies to civilian uses.

“The funding which was approved by Congress and signed by President Clinton will enable the MTA to purchase much needed buses, provide bus operating assistance, and continue construction of the Gateway Intermodal Transit Center,” said MTA Chairman and Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre.