Governor, Local Officials Celebrate Planned Green Line Extension To Torrance

TORRANCE (CBSLA) — California Gov. Jerry Brown was in town Wednesday to celebrate the expansion of the LA Metro Green Line to the South Bay.

The 4.6-mile extension from Redondo Beach to the future Torrance Transit Regional Park and Ride Terminal is meant to take more traffic off the 405 Freeway and onto the Metro.

Thanks to a recently announced $231 million state grant with funds generated by the new gas tax, authorities said the project could be completed before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympics.

"This is improving transportation, improving the quality of life and providing jobs for people,'' Brown said during a news conference in Torrance. "In fact, it isn't even building for the future. We have to build just to keep what we have.''

The Green Line extension is expected to cost nearly $1.2 billion. Metro had previously identified more than $930 million for the project, with the state funding expected to round out the costs.

"The Metro Green Line extension to Torrance will create thousands of local jobs from a major infrastructure project, help cut down on traffic on our freeways and local roads by getting more people on public transit, and cut down on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,'' Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, said.

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