DOWNEY — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is celebrating an announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom awarding a $231 million grant to the Southeast Gateway Line project.

The funding comes from the State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and the $231 million grant to the Southeast Gateway Line is the largest single award in this cycle.

Hahn traveled to Sacramento in May with a delegation of leaders from Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities to advocate for this funding.

“This is exactly what we have been working toward and what this project needs,” said Hahn. “I appreciate Governor Newsom and his team for answering our call and recognizing the importance of the Southeast Gateway Line to the future of this region and I thank the entire Metro board for prioritizing this project.”

The Southeast Gateway Line is a new Metro light rail transit line that will stretch from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone to Union Station which will provide fast, reliable transit service to communities that have long been underserved.

Along the route, one-in-five residents are transit dependent and do not have their own car.

Supervisor Hahn and Metro leaders will break ground next week on “Advance Utility Relocation” for the Southeast Gateway Line ahead of major construction for the project.

“This is a tremendous day for Southeast LA and continues to demonstrate Metro’s and the State’s commitment to securing funds to construct the new rail line in this heavily transit-dependent area,” said Metro Board First Vice Chair Fernando Dutra. “I also think this shows how much the state cares about our disadvantaged communities and the residents who live and work here.”