On Oct. 22, city of Inglewood, Calif., officials broke ground on the first phase of the Inglewood Transit Connector. The project will build three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) K Line while also rebuilding Downtown streetscaping.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the site of the future Market & Florence Mobility Hub, just south of the L.A. Metro K Line Downtown Inglewood Station. Phase 1 of the project is funded through competitive state and regional transportation grants, led by the state of California's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, with no General Fund dollars used and no new tax levied.

“This is exactly what the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program is for — connecting communities to the regional rail network with real, lasting benefits,” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Toks Omishakin.

As part of the project, three mobility hubs along Market Street will add more than 1,000 parking spaces and create designated spaces for rideshare pick-up and drop-off and bike and pedicab access. The Market & Florence hub will also include transit-oriented retail and a ten-bay bus plaza. Market Street, Manchester Boulevard and Queen Street will get new sidewalks, landscaping, lighting and wayfinding.

The city notes that Elevate Inglewood Development Company LLC, led by Plenary Americas with contractor Swinerton and designer Walter P Moore, designed the project and will now build, finance, operate and maintain it under a single guaranteed-maximum-price agreement. Construction begins in November and will continue through Spring 2028.

 “Eight years ago, the Inglewood Transit Connector was an idea on paper. Today, it is a shovel in the ground, and by the spring of 2028, it will be streets full of people. When the world arrives in 2028, Inglewood will be ready. But more important, long after the cameras leave, the infrastructure easing congestion and bringing downtown back to life will still be here for our families, our businesses and our children,” said Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Jr.