$45 Million to Fund Buses, Red Line

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced Friday that his department would follow through on its promise to grant Los Angeles County $45 million in federal money for more buses and the construction of the Red Line subway.

About $40 million will be payment for the $1.4-billion Red Line subway extension to North Hollywood, which has been carrying passengers since 2000.

The remaining money would be used by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to purchase at least eight extra-long buses.

The federal government pledged the money for the subway extension in the 1990s and the bus money has been expected by the MTA since last year.