1981:  U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs an appropriations bill which secures an additional $9.83 million in federal funds to continue preliminary engineering for the proposed Metro Rail between downtown Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.

The funding is approved despite the Reagan Administration’s policy of not funding new rail rapid transit starts.  The funds are slated for the design and study of such elements as subway tunnels, stations, train yards and communications, safety, and security systems.

More information can be found in the February, 1982 issue of Headway, the Southern California Rapid Transit District employee news magazine.