Dive Brief:

• Los Angeles Union Station officials are considering a $2 billion expansion of the facility, which they said would improve the quality of service for riders and increase the station's efficiency, according to Engineering News-Record.
• The Link Union Station (Link US) project would create a new entrance for Amtrak and Metrolink commuters, and also construction of a new passenger concourse, which would replace an existing tunnel that is often overcrowded and lacks modern features and amenities. The Link US project also would add a loop track, usually installed to allow trains to reverse direction or make turns without stopping, and run-through tracks to take passengers beyond Union Station to other Southern California destinations.  
• Options for project design and other specifics will be included in the draft environmental study, which is scheduled to be released later this year. The planning phase has already been financed through various local and federal programs, but the project has yet to obtain final design and construction funding. 

Dive Insight:

Besides improving regular service, an expansion of the Los Angeles Union Station should also boost mobility when the city hosts the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. In preparation for the Olympics, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently launched a "28 by 28" plan that will fast-track 28 regional transit projects, and the city has planned an expansion of its mass transit system to accommodate the influx of visitors.

According to the Pasadena Star-News, the city has accelerated construction plans for eight projects, including an expansion of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Purple Line.  The three-phase extension's $2.64 billion first phase should be completed soon, with work on the $2.38 billion phase slated to begin soon thereafter. The step-up in preparation for the Olympics will allow the project to finished in 2026 rather than in 2035.

Another accelerated rail project is the $1.5 billion Gold line LRT extension. The new 12.3-mile commuter line will run from eastern Los Angeles County to western San Bernardino County and will boast six new stations. This is the first major project to be financed by Measure M, the Los Angeles County tax-based transportation funding measure. Measure M, however, will not pay for the portion of the rail that extends into San Bernardino County.