The city of Inglewood, Calif., released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Dec. 23 for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) Project.
The ITC Project is a 1.6-mile, three-station, fully elevated, electrically powered light-rail transit system, including, among other things, an automated people mover (APM) line. Upon anticipated completion in 2026, the ITC Project will close the last-mile gap and connect passengers between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (L.A. Metro) Crenshaw/LAX Line and Downtown Inglewood to major event and activity centers, including The Forum, the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment District (which includes SoFi Stadium) and the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center.
Inglewood has and will continue to be one of the fastest growing population, housing, employment and entertainment centers in Los Angeles County. By 2040, the areas located within walking distance of the ITC Project’s three APM stations, are projected to experience a substantial increase in residential and business population, as well as in traffic. The ITC Project will increase transit mode split, reduce vehicle trips, improve congestion and circulation, and reduce per-capita vehicle miles traveled to the city’s major activity centers; the corresponding results will improve air quality, public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources in accordance with the city’s goals under SB 375 and the state’s climate change policies.
About the ITC Project
The proposed ITC project area is generally bounded by the L.A. Metro Crenshaw/LAX Line to the north; Century Boulevard to the south; the SoFi Stadium and The Forum to the east; and La Brea Avenue to the west. Its design will be compatible with both the existing urban setting in Downtown Inglewood and new developments on Prairie Avenue.
Once operational, the ITC Project’s elevated guideway will have dual tracks to allow APM trains to travel continuously in both directions to allow for greater ridership capacity. Ridership is projected to be 3,098 daily passengers on non-event days and 25,056 daily passengers on NFL game days. As a result of the proposed ITC mode split, daily vehicular traffic is estimated to decrease significantly. The proposed project will reduce traffic congestion by approximately 920 to 1,410 vehicle trips per day along Prairie Avenue between Manchester and Century Boulevards; approximately 430 to 757 vehicle trips per day along Manchester Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard; and approximately 1,078 to 1,170 vehicle trips per day along Century Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard.
The ITC Project will support the city’s ongoing economic revitalization and growth opportunities for transit-oriented development (TOD) within the Downtown TOD Plan area, including the creation of public parking facilities for park and ride. The ITC Project will play a vital role in connecting Los Angeles County’s residents and visitors to jobs, education, entertainment, shopping and housing via Metro’s countywide transit system.
When completed, the ITC Project will provide a critical transportation connection during the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, as the SoFi Stadium is slated to host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Anticipated impacts/benefits:
The draft EIR identifies only three significant and unavoidable environmental impacts, which include impacts to air quality during construction, aesthetics and historic resources.
- Greenhouse Gases: The ITC Project will reduce vehicle trips and per-capita vehicle miles traveled to the city’s major activity centers, with corresponding improvement in air quality, public health and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources. Over the life of the ITC Project, the project will reduce approximately 768,922 Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and greatly benefit the environment.
- Construction: The ITC Project includes a robust Construction Commitment Program to proactively address the potential effects of the construction of the project on the community.
- Infrastructure: Existing roadways and infrastructure along the ITC Project alignment would require some reconfiguration to accommodate new elevated transit guideway structures and stations. In addition to surface improvements, subsurface utility infrastructure under the alignment may be relocated to accommodate the guideway columns, footings and other components.
The Draft EIR and its technical appendices are available for the public review and comment through Feb. 8, 2021. The city will hold an online virtual public meeting to accept comments on the Draft EIR and provide information about the ITC Project on Jan. 13, 2021.
