L.A. Metro OKs $6.1 billion budget for FY2018

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) board yesterday approved a $6.1 billion budget for fiscal-year 2018, which begins July 1.

The budget includes the addition of more rail cars to meet growing demand on the Expo and Gold lines, Metro officials said in a press release. In FY2018, the agency expects to provide 129,000 rail revenue service hours, an 11.6 percent year-over-year increase.

Metro will take delivery of 48 new light-rail vehicles during FY2018. The agency also will begin procuring heavy-rail cars for the Purple Line subway extension.

The agency has allocated $2.2 billion for various capital projects, including major construction for the Regional Connector rail project and the Purple Line subway extension. Metro officials also expect to break ground on two Measure M-funded projects in the coming fiscal year: the Airport Connector and the next phase of the Gold Line Foothill Extension.

Measure M is a half-cent sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles County voters in November 2016.

The adopted budget represents a 1.45 percent increase from the FY2017 budget, Metro officials said.