State Grant Averts Metrolink Cuts in Santa Clarita
A $20 million California grant will maintain current Metrolink service levels through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Olympics
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Metro received a $20 million state grant from California's Flexible State Rail Assistance fund to support Metrolink operations for two years. The funding may avert proposed service cuts in the Santa Clarita Valley, including a reduction from 30 to 22 weekday trains.
Why it matters
Metro officials said that without state help, they would have had to make major reductions on the Antelope Valley Line. Metro and Metrolink cite declining ridership and federal funding cuts as ongoing financial challenges.
The grant totals $20 million and funds two years of Metrolink operations, compared with a proposed reduction from 30 to 22 weekday trains and four remaining weekend trains. Whether service levels will be permanently maintained after the two-year period is not addressed in the source.
The players
Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the regional operator for Metrolink and oversees the county's transit network.
Metrolink
Metrolink is a statewide commuter rail agency serving Southern California communities, including the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley.
Marsha McLean
Marsha McLean is a Santa Clarita City Council member who announced the $20 million state grant to the public.
Meredith Yeoman
Meredith Yeoman is a public official quoted in the source regarding the Metrolink budget and service planning.
Maya Pogoda
Maya Pogoda is a public official quoted in the source regarding the Metrolink budget and service planning.
The details
The grant was approved through a California State Transportation Agency funding list released Nov. 5, and Councilwoman Marsha McLean announced it Nov. 11. The previous reduced-service schedule has been removed from Metrolink's website, and the budget hearing and board action were postponed from October to the Nov. 13 board meeting.
Timeline
Nov. 5, 2026: California released the state funding list that included the Metro grant.
Nov. 11, 2026: Councilwoman Marsha McLean announced the $20 million grant.
Nov. 13, 2026: Metrolink board meeting and budget public hearing scheduled at 10 a.m. in Downtown Los Angeles.
Jan. 4, 2027: Earliest date any future service adjustments could take effect.
Olympics Context
The grant is tied to maintaining Metrolink service levels through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, when expanded rail capacity will be needed to move large crowds across the region. Funding it now positions the system to handle Olympic-era ridership without the service reductions proposed for the Antelope Valley Line.
Riders on the Antelope Valley Line and Santa Clarita Valley commuter routes can expect the current schedule to remain in place through the end of the calendar year. The grant may prevent the proposed drop from 30 to 22 weekday trains and the loss of weekend service.
The takeaway
Riders should check Metrolink's schedule before Jan. 4, 2027, since the grant secures current service only for two years. Monitoring the Nov. 13 board meeting will show whether the budget keeps weekday and weekend trains in place.
What happens next
Metrolink's board will hold its budget public hearing and vote on the budget at the Nov. 13 meeting, and any service adjustments could take effect no sooner than Jan. 4, 2027.
Further reading
For context on how the state's transit funding connects to the region's preparations, see Olympics coverage in California.
More information
Watch the Metrolink budget hearing livestream for the board's budget discussion.
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