Metrolink was awarded a grant Thursday after the state unanimously approved funds to advance designs and work on the first projects in the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Program, which includes the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.

Metrolink is set to receive $91.2 million from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to improve rail safety and service in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

In all, through a CTC-approved multi-year grant agreement, Metrolink will receive a total of $875.7 million over six years, according to the agency.

“SCORE investments provide infrastructure improvements that enable Metrolink to run more trains to improve service,” said Andrew Kotyuk, Metrolink board chair. “SCORE is essential to the long-range vision of transforming Southern California’s regional rail system.”

The funds will be provided by a Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant to kickstart work on SCORE.

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TIRCP grant funding comes from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and Senate Bill 1 to fund transformative capital improvements that will modernize the state’s transportation infrastructure.

“Important infrastructure projects are the targets of these funds with major improvement projects scheduled for the six-county region,” said Brian C. Annis, California State Transportation Agency secretary. “Not only will these cap and trade, SB 1 investments bring thousands of new jobs, but they will make Metrolink more reliable and provide an alternative to driving in Southern California.”

The allocation of the grant will be shared among Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley, Los Angeles, Simi Valley, Burbank and Chatsworth, among others.

“California has a dynamic economy that relies on our ability to move people and goods efficiently,” said Fran Inman, CTC chair. “Continual investments in the state’s transportation infrastructure is essential to providing jobs, improving our environment and maintaining our quality of life.”

For more information about Metrolink, click here.

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