LA Metro Gets $25 Million Federal Grant for SR-71 Freeway Upgrade in Pomona
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) will receive $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for Phase 2 of the State Route 71 (SR-71) Gap Closure Project in Pomona, Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) announced. The money comes from the department’s Fiscal Year 2026 INFRA grant program for highway and freight projects.
The project will convert the existing four-lane expressway between Interstate 10 and Mission Boulevard into an eight-lane freeway. Plans call for one high-occupancy vehicle lane and one mixed-flow lane in each direction, auxiliary lanes, replacement of aging railroad bridges, soundwalls, and an ADA-compliant pedestrian overcrossing at 9th Street.
Phase 2 covers approximately two miles. According to the announcement, it will help create consistent improvements along SR-71 from SR-91 to I-10. The corridor links communities across Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties and carries both commuter and freight traffic.
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said the voter-approved Measure M project is expected to significantly reduce congestion and travel times and improve safety and connectivity. Torres, who sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees transportation funding, said she had urged the department to back the project.
Why it matters
The funding advances a major road project in Pomona and the Inland Empire. Residents, commuters and property owners along the corridor may see changes in access and travel times as work proceeds.
Source: Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA), October 5, 2026. Read the original release
