The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will host its annual “State of the Agency” address this Wednesday at Union Station, celebrating key achievements from the past fiscal year and unveiling priorities for the year ahead.
A central moment in the program will be the official passing of the gavel to Fernando Dutra, Metro’s new Board of Directors Chair, from outgoing chair Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Fernando Dutra Takes Helm as Board Chair
Dutra, who has served on Metro’s Board since 2021 and has been a Whittier City Council member since 2012, will now lead the Board for a one-year term running from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. He is also president of Allwest Development Company and holds licenses as a general building and engineering contractor.
The role of Board Chair rotates annually between the Mayor of Los Angeles, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and a City Selection Committee member.
Highlights from the 2024–25 Fiscal Year
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, Dutra, Hahn, and members of Metro’s Youth Council will present a year of milestones and improvements made across the system. In May, the Metro Board approved a $9.4 billion budget that prioritized public safety and increased transit frequency for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
Notable 2024–25 Accomplishments Include:
- Opening of the LAX Metro Transit Center and the Rail-to-Rail Active Transportation Corridor in South Los Angeles
- 21 miles of new bus lanes introduced
- Continued construction progress on:
- Metro A (Foothill) Line Extension
- Metro D (Purple) Line Extension
- Southeast Gateway Line
- San Fernando Valley Line
- North San Fernando Valley Line
- Establishment of a new Public Safety Department, headed by former San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott
- Implementation of safety upgrades including:
- Tap-to-Exit and weapons detection systems
- Taller fare gates
- Transit Watch 3.0 app
- Release of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, designed to connect the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles
- 30 consecutive months of ridership growth
- Expansion of the bus lane enforcement pilot program
- Surpassing 500,000 student registrations in the GoPass program, with nearly 60 million boardings
Looking Ahead to 2025–26
The “State of the Agency” not only highlights past performance but sets the tone for Metro’s vision moving forward. With a renewed focus on transit safety, efficiency, and accessibility, Metro aims to maintain its ridership growth and continue building a robust transit infrastructure for Los Angeles County.
