Californias insane $2B ask to keep LA Olympics from becoming traffic hell

Los Angeles wants $2 billion in federal cash to prepare its transportation system for the 2028 Olympics, but the Trump administration left the request out of its budget.LA Metro says the money is needed to move millions of visitors during the Games.Half would go toward temporarily acquiring, operating and storing nearly 1,750 additional buses.The other $1 billion would pay for pedestrian improvements, high-speed traffic lanes and street-design networks connecting Olympic venues.The House Appropriations Committee has advanced an initial $875 million, but the full request still needs approval from both chambers of Congress — and ultimately President Trump’s signature. The next federal fiscal cycle begins Oct.1.LA Metro’s board and California Democrats have repeatedly pressed Washington for the money, including efforts to get the Trump administration to put it in its annual budget.It didn’t.The administration’s budget did include increased federal funding for Olympic security involving the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Secret Service.Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly questioned whether Los Angeles is ready to host the Games.

He previously threatened to move the 2028 Olympics out of the city if local leadership, including Gov.Gavin Newsom, failed to improve crime and homelessness conditions.Now Democratic lawmakers are warning that Washington’s refusal to fully fund LA’s transportation wish list could leave visitors facing more traffic, fewer buses and unreliable public transit.Rep.

Laura Friedman said Wednesday that the lack of federal assistance could worsen congestion and public transit reliability.“That will be a terrible result, not just for Los Angeles, but for the whole nation,” Friedman said.Friedman convened a panel in West Hollywood with Democratic colleagues to grill regional transportation officials about whether LA will be ready to move the millions of visitors expected for the Games.Rep.Judy Chu also called for federal assis...