Meeting_Body
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
APRIL 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: MOBILITY CONCEPT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the Mobility Concept Plan (MCP) Implementation Progress Report
Issue
ISSUE
This is a progress report regarding preparation efforts in anticipation of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (“the Games”), with a focus on planning activities for Wayfinding, Heat Mitigation, advancement of capital project delivery, Water Taxi Feasibility Study, and legislative advocacy efforts.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro worked with LA28, Caltrans, Metrolink, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), the City of Los Angeles (COLA) Mayor’s Office, and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), a group collectively known as the Games Mobility Executives (GME), as well as venue cities and Councils of Governments, to develop the 2028 Games Mobility Concept Plan approved by the Metro Board in December 2022. Following an extensive agency stakeholder outreach process, Metro and the GME identified a list of 15 priority workstreams. The GME then created subcommittees to advance the projects and programs under each workstream.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Highlighted Workstream Updates
This report highlights the progress made in Wayfinding, Heat Mitigation, and Transportation Demand Management workstreams. A progress report on all Metro-led GME workstreams is provided in Attachment A.
Wayfinding
Stemming from Metro’s observations during the Paris 2024 Summer Games, there was broad consensus on the importance of wayfinding to deliver clear guidance to visitors and residents looking to navigate the region’s transportation network to access venues and other points of interest. A key takeaway is the need for a collaborative approach across multiple agencies to deliver wayfinding that considers physical signage, digital platforms, and human-powered elements consisting of both agency staff and volunteers. As a result, the GME established a Wayfinding Subcommittee to create a joint work plan, share best practices, solidify roles and responsibilities, and scope the development and implementation of a wayfinding system for the 2028 Games.
Metro staff are working on several key projects to understand and address wayfinding and signage needs leading up to the 2028 Games. Current efforts, as outlined in Attachment B, include 1) 2026 FIFA World Cup planning, 2) 2028 Games Trailblazing Signage Program, 3) Multiphase Systemwide Signage Audits , and 4) Digital Wayfinding.
Next steps include the following:
• Continue internal event day simulations at World Cup shuttle lots to gather staff feedback on wayfinding, signage, and crowd flow management
• As part of the 2028 Games Trailblazing Signage Program, begin jurisdictional coordination to explore partnership opportunities for permanent signage to and from Metro stations
• Review and provide feedback on LA28 design standards
• Develop schematic design packages based on findings from the initial 12-station signage audits to guide future permanent wayfinding improvements across the system
Heat Mitigation
Following Metro’s observation of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, leadership identified heat mitigation as a critical consideration for all workstreams. Many LA County communities have inadequate shade and cooling infrastructure. Temporary sites, such as park and ride lots, may have little existing shade or water. In addition, spectators visiting the region may not be prepared for the local climate. Ensuring that spectators, the Games workforce, and agency employees remain safe from heat-related illnesses will be paramount.
Metro’s Office of Sustainability Policy has led the development of a heat mitigation strategy, which has included the following actions to date:
• Established a Games Mobility Executives (GME) Subcommittee for heat mitigation that brings together subject matter experts from Metro and other GME agencies as well as nonprofits and universities to understand challenges and propose solutions.
• Used a data-driven approach to understand the areas of the county where spectators will face the greatest risk of extreme heat exposure.
• Engaging with vendors to implement pilot heat mitigation programs at no cost to Metro. For example, Metro deployed hydration stations at Memorial Park A Line Station for the Club World Cup in 2025 so that spectators and employees could access free, chilled water on their way to the venue.
• Hosted a Heat Funding Roundtable in December 2025.
• Developing a guidebook and awareness campaign for spectators and members of the workforce to provide education about the risks of heat-related illness and how to stay safe.
• Partnering with Games Energy Council and Games Water Council to ensure sustainable best practices and environmental stewardship.
Next steps include the following:
• Issue a Request for Information (RFI) for heat mitigation infrastructure to understand the current market landscape.
• Continue to coordinate with Shade LA and other nonprofits to identify opportunities for collaboration on shade solutions.
• Implement heat mitigation infrastructure for the World Cup, including hydration stations, educational signage, and shade structures. Lessons learned will be identified to inform preparations for 2028.
• Partner with Metro Kit of Parts to implement pilot projects and implement lessons learned for 2028.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities for temporary and legacy heat mitigation infrastructure.
• Partner with Station Activation for heat mitigation solutions at Fan Zones
• Identify opportunities to turn temporary heat mitigation solutions into permanent and resilient investments
Water Taxi Feasibility Study Update
In response to Board Motion 18 (November 2025) (Attachment C) , Metro staff has issued a Request-for-Information (RFI) to gather technical information from private and public ferry operators interested in operating a service similar to those described in the San Pedro-Long Beach Water Taxi Feasibility Study. The RFI and subsequent pitches to Metro staff detail interested parties’ capabilities to deliver upon such a service, and partnership opportunities to deliver a water-taxi service between San Pedro and Long Beach during the 2028 Games. Additional due diligence is ongoing on funding options, structure of service-delivery models, and permitting needed to operate a water taxi service. Results from the pitch process, including details on public-private-partnership opportunities and a proposed implementation timeline, will be delivered to the Board in July.
Capital Projects Update
Metro is focused on delivering key MCP capital projects ahead of the 2028 Games that will support Games-time operations and leave a positive legacy for our riders. These include 28 by 2028 projects, projects funded by the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) grant, as well as the capital projects comprising the MCP Priority List, which includes A&E Line reliability improvements, improvements to key stations (i.e., Union and 7th Street/Metro Center), and mobility hubs. All capital projects have completed CEQA and are now advancing through final design. NEPA clearance is expected for all projects by May 2026 (RCN projects have already cleared NEPA). In order to accelerate the delivery of these projects and minimize risk, while the final design is being completed, Metro’s Program Management Office has already begun issuing alternative delivery procurements for these projects. Metro will continue coordinating with local partners to keep projects on track for delivery before the Games.
Twenty-Eight by ’28 Update
Since the updated Twenty-Eight by ’28 project list was approved in March 2024, Metro staff have made progress towards delivering the projects in collaboration with regional partners. Transformative projects such as the LAX/Metro Transit Center, Rail to Rail, and the A Line extension to Pomona have begun revenue service, providing residents and visitors with new travel options to key destinations. Construction continues on major capital projects such as the D Line Extension Phases 1 to 3 and G Line Improvements. Finally, design work is progressing for new bus corridor projects, first last mile improvements, and mobility hubs at locations around LA County.
Attachment D shows current status and scope refinements and a current assessment of the feasibility of each project to be achieved in time for the 2028 Games. Ten projects are now complete and in operation; one is preparing to open in May; seven are under construction; and ten are in the engineering/final design phase. Attachment E illustrates the locations of these projects. Stakeholders can check project status at <https://www.metro.net/28x28/>
Several projects from the 2022 Mobility Concept Plan (MCP) Priority Project List are included within project bundles, such as Key DTLA Stations, Mobility Hubs in the San Fernando Valley, Gateway Cities MCP projects, and LRT Speed & Reliability Improvements. To date, these MCP projects have received the following funding, and staff continue to pursue additional funding opportunities to support their delivery while advancing design activities:
• $59.62 million in STBG/CMAQ funds for Key DTLA Stations and LRT Speed & Reliability Improvements, including the A and E Lines Operational Improvements Project and Washington/Flower corridor upgrades.
• $38 million in construction funding from Caltrans’ State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP), allocated by the California Transportation Commission, for the Norwalk and Harbor Gateway Transit Center Mobility Hubs.
• Funding from the FTA Reconnecting Neighborhoods & Communities Grant to support Willow Station Mobility Hub improvements; bus corridor enhancements (including new shelters, lighting, and landscaping) along Florence Avenue, Studebaker Road, and Imperial Highway; first/last mile enhancements near the Norwalk C Line Station (Hoxie Avenue); and Open Streets activities in Long Beach during the Games.
All other projects on the list are fully funded and on track to be delivered by 2028.
Federal and State Advocacy Update
On February 3, 2026, Congress adopted and the President signed into law the Fiscal Year 2026 transportation appropriations bill that included $94.3 million for mobility initiatives tied to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Staff are deeply appreciative to all members of the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation for backing our work to secure funding for our agency in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation spending bill. Staff appreciate the ongoing work with key stakeholders on Games-related federal funding, including our collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), LA28, and other key individuals and organizations who worked with our agency to ensure the final transportation spending bill included Games-related funding favorable to our agency. We are currently working with the USDOT to ensure that these funds are rapidly allocated to our agency so we can put these federal funds to work in support of our Games-related mobility plans.
In early March, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove authored a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, co-signed by 35 other Members of Congress, in support of the inclusion of $2 billion for mobility initiatives for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request. This letter was written to complement the January 15, 2026, letter from the Metro Board of Directors to Secretary Duffy making the same funding request. As stipulated in this congressional letter and Metro’s Board letter, the lead time needed to plan for an event of the scale and scope of the 2028 Games means that the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request may be the final opportunity to ensure that federal transportation funding can be made available in a timely manner in advance of the Games. The President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request to Congress is expected to be delivered soon to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Metro is deeply appreciative to Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove for leading this letter and to the many Members of Congress who signed this correspondence, including our two U.S. Senators.
Importantly, the President is expected to unveil his Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request in the coming month. Metro and several stakeholders, including LA28, our Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation, among others, have been consistently encouraging the Administration to include $2 billion for mobility related funding for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Budget. Staff has and will remain fully engaged with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget to encourage the inclusion of federal funding for transportation needs directly tied to the Games in the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request.
Regarding state advocacy, on January 21, CEO Wiggins sent a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games funding request to Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor. The letter outlined a total state request for $379.29 million, for projects consistent with the Board-approved Mobility Concept Plan. These projects include integrated transportation management, improvements to key rail stations, mobility hubs, light rail improvements, first/last mile improvements, and transportation demand management/mobility wallets.
On February 27, CEO Wiggins was invited to present to the LA County Delegation regarding our Games budget request. On March 5, the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation, chaired by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D - Inglewood) issued a formal letter to the Assembly Budget Committee and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee for Transportation, requesting that they include $379.29 million in this year’s Budget Act for Metro’s 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games transportation needs. The Delegation included the entirety of Metro’s budget request in their letter. Staff are grateful to the entire LA County Delegation for their consideration of our request and look forward to working with the legislature as budget negotiations continue through the spring and summer.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Equity is a central consideration in Metro’s planning for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and informs the development of priority workstreams under the Games Mobility Concept Plan. The Wayfinding, Heat Mitigation, and Transportation Demand Management initiatives highlighted in this update are intended to ensure that residents, visitors, and the Games workforce can safely and efficiently access the regional transportation network. Improvements such as enhanced station signage, neighborhood trailblazing connections, and expanded digital trip planning tools will help riders navigate the system, identify accessible paths of travel, and connect to surrounding neighborhoods, employment centers, and major destinations throughout Los Angeles County.
These efforts are also designed to deliver lasting legacy benefits beyond the 2028 Games. Station signage upgrades, digital wayfinding tools, and improved first and last mile connections will remain in place after the Games to strengthen everyday navigation and connectivity across the Metro system. Heat mitigation planning will help identify opportunities for shade, hydration, and other protective infrastructure that can improve rider safety in communities experiencing higher heat exposure. In addition, transportation demand management strategies that encourage transit use, walking, and other multimodal travel options will help reduce congestion and vehicle miles traveled across the region. Collectively, these initiatives support a more accessible, resilient, and user friendly transportation system that benefits riders and communities across Los Angeles County well beyond the Games.
Finally, Metro’s Twenty Eight by ’28 initiative reflects the agency’s commitment to ensuring that investments made in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games deliver meaningful and lasting benefits for communities across Los Angeles County. The project list was developed using qualitative criteria focused on advancing equitable mobility outcomes, including projects that support high capacity access to major regional activity centers and corridors, strengthen critical links within Los Angeles County’s growing high capacity transit network, integrate transportation and land use to support mixed income housing and economic development near transit, and address congestion at key bottlenecks across the system.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. In particular, the implementation of heat mitigation and wayfinding solutions will make it faster, easier, and more enjoyable to take transit, encouraging a shift away from personal vehicles that will reduce VMT. The new projects being implemented as part of the Twenty Eight by ’28 initiative are also expected to reduce VMT by providing faster, more reliable alternatives to driving alone.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The development of the MCP supports:
Strategic Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling.
Strategic Goal 2: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system.
Strategic Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration and national leadership” by providing a roadmap and strategy to deliver permanent transit and transit-supportive projects and programs that can help serve the 2028 Games.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue the development work necessary to advance the 2028 Games Priority Workstreams that Metro is currently leading. Staff will continue to seek potential local, state, and federal funding opportunities and work with the Board to advocate for funding for both legacy projects and essential Games-specific projects, such as the Games Enhanced Transit Service and Games Route Network.
Staff will also continue to coordinate with LA28 to receive updated information related to competition schedules and security planning. Similarly, staff will continue to coordinate with other agencies through the GME subcommittees in order to ensure alignment on projects, identify funding opportunities, and avoid duplication of work.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Games Mobility Executives Workstream Updates
Attachment B - Wayfinding Updates
Attachment C - Motion 18 (Water Taxi Feasibility Study)
Attachment D - Twenty-Eight by ’28 Project List Status
Attachment E - Twenty-Eight by ’28 Projects Map
Prepared_by
Prepared by:
Daniel Bernstein, Senior Manager, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 922-4135
Hector Gutierrez, Senior Manager, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 444-9304
Jewel DeGuzman, Senior Manager, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 922-5343
Ernesto Chaves, Executive Officer, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 547-4362
Jacqueline Torres, Senior Director, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 547-4208
Meghna Khanna, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 922-3931
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
Seleta Reynolds, Chief, Innovation and Games Mobility Planning,
(213) 922-4656
Jennifer Vides, Chief, Customer Experience, (213) 922-4060
