METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

L.A. Metro Board Approves 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan

The $400-billion plan lays out a 30-year transportation blueprint for bringing about a more mobile and sustainable future.

by METRO Staff
September 25, 2020
L.A. Metro Board Approves 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan

The 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan details how Metro will add more than 100 miles of rail over the next 30 years, invest in arterial and freeway projects to reduce congestion, and add more bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Credit:

L.A. Metro

3 min to read


The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) board approved the updated 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan, a 30-year transportation blueprint for the region, following a 45-day public review period to gather additional comments from the public.

The $400-billion plan lays out a vision and roadmap for bringing about a more mobile and sustainable future for Los Angeles County. Through extensive public outreach over the past two years that included 77 community events, 38 public meetings, and 20,000 survey responses from the public, Metro has distilled the region’s desires into four goals: better transit, less congestion, complete streets, and access to opportunity.

Ad Loading...

The 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (2020 LRTP) outlines what Metro is doing currently and its plans over the next 30 years for funding, planning, and maintaining the region’s transportation system. Current challenges — including the COVID-19 pandemic — will present opportunities for Metro to take bold action and help achieve mobility improvements in the region.

"Los Angeles is entering a transportation renaissance — a chance to redefine our city’s relationship with public transit and reimagine the ways it can be a force for good in people’s lives," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "The Long Range Transportation Plan paves a clear path to a more sustainable, fair, and equitable transportation future — an era that delivers on the promises of Measure M and our back to basics agenda, doubles down on electrification, and opens new doors of opportunity across our region."

The 2020 LRTP details how Metro will add more than 100 miles of rail over the next 30 years, invest in arterial and freeway projects to reduce congestion, and add more bicycle and pedestrian projects, such as the L.A. River Path Project to increase bicycle access.

The plan calls for improving the transit rider experience by prioritizing bus travel on L.A. County’s busiest streets and implementing the recommendations of the NextGen Bus Plan to make bus service more frequent and faster. Furthermore, Metro will invest in technology and promote innovative new mobility options such as microtransit and use freight-focused technologies.

The 2020 LRTP includes over $200 billion for operations and the agency's state of good repair, as well as $38 billion in funding that returns to local transit agencies to maintain the local transportation system.

Ad Loading...

"For this plan to succeed, we must and will continue to build strong partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies as well as our many local stakeholders," said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. "These partnerships are crucial for funding and delivering projects and for coordinated planning on issues of regional significance. Metro will increase our collaboration with local jurisdictions to support transit priority on local roadways, to improve first/last mile access to transit, and to make everyone’s mobility easier and more equitable."

The plan also notes the potential to deliver significant mobility benefits to the region through major capital projects, programs, partnerships, and policies. After implementation, 21% of L.A. county residents and 36% of jobs will be within a 10-minute walk of rail or bus rapid transit options — up from only 8% of residents and 16% of jobs currently. The plan also estimates an 81% increase in daily transit trips, a 31% decrease in traffic delay, and a 19% decrease in overall greenhouse gas emissions in the county.

View the 2020 LRTP.

More Management

Railby StaffFebruary 2, 2026

Chicago Region Transit Ridership Grows in 2025

The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.

Read More →
New Mobilityby StaffJanuary 30, 2026

Chicago's Pace Expands VanGo Mobility Program

The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.

Read More →
A blue and white graphic with text reading "Foothill Gold Line: Design Contract Award & 2026 Board Leadership."
Managementby StaffJanuary 30, 2026

Foothill Gold Line Board Awards Claremont Extension Design Contract to Parsons, Maintains Board Leadership for 2026

Parsons wins the $60M Claremont Extension design contract as the Foothill Gold Line board reaffirms leadership during a pivotal project phase.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Technologyby StaffJanuary 29, 2026

Houston METRO Introduces RideMETRO Fare System

The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.

Read More →
Managementby StaffJanuary 29, 2026

Valley Metro Sees Strong Ridership Growth in 2025

The agency ranked top five among mid-sized U.S. transit systems, defined as agencies with 15 million to 50 million annual trips.

Read More →
A b2x rewards logo and graphic reading "Read. Learn. Earn."
Managementby StaffJanuary 29, 2026

Bobit Business Media Launches B2X Rewards to Engage Transit Industry Professionals

The new program rewards B2B audience readers for engaging with trusted content and suppliers, earning them points toward events, travel, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Busby StaffJanuary 29, 2026

Subway Customer Satisfaction Reaches Record High, New York MTA Says

The subway system saw increases across all key metrics, with 62% of subway riders reporting they feel satisfied with the system overall.

Read More →
Busby StaffJanuary 28, 2026

New Orleans RTA Reaches Agreement with ATU

The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.

Read More →
Managementby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

Keolis Retains Virginia Railway Express Contract

The new contract for Keolis and VRE will commence in July 2026, with the potential to expand to 15 years.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Busby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

California's OCTA Advances 2026 Initiatives Centered on Balance and Sustainability

The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.

Read More →