Meeting_Body
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
JANUARY 14, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: MOBILITY CONCEPT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVING AND FILING the Mobility Concept Plan (MCP) Implementation Progress Report.
Issue
ISSUE
This is a progress report regarding planning efforts in anticipation of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (“the Games”), The report highlights the Games Enhanced Transit Service (GETS) planning developments, while also providing an update on the progress of various other workstreams including safety & security, as well as Metro’s funding and legislative advocacy efforts for the 2028 Games.
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. For this month’s Ad-Hoc Committee, staff will provide an oral presentation on the work underway for GETS and Safety & Security.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Games Enhanced Transit Service (GETS)
Metro currently carries almost one million boardings per day. The Games are anticipated to add an additional 1.2 million boardings per day. The capacity of the existing regional transit network cannot accommodate the ridership demand of the Games. Therefore, Metro will be establishing a GETS, which will provide Games specific transportation for spectators and the workforce.
Service Planning Continues with Southern California Regional Operators
The 2028 Games will be a “transit-first” event, placing Metro at the forefront of spectator and workforce mobility, in concert with Southern California transit operators. Each venue will be served by the GETS to connect with or supplement the region’s existing public transit network. The GETS network includes services connecting general spectators and the workforce to off-site parking and mobility hubs in place of parking that will not be available at each venue. A GETS service plan has been developed and continues to be refined as more information becomes available on the operation of each event venue and the Games Route Network (GRN). Work also continues on securing the necessary extra bus fleet with which to operate the GETS, as well as plans for the staffing of and other work stream efforts in support of successfully delivering GETS services.
Fleet Needs Revised
Metro currently operates a fleet of 2,100 buses. The original estimate for the bus fleet requirement for GETS service for all Olympic and Paralympic events was 2700 buses. Based on continued refinement of the operating plan based on the latest event venues, schedules, and spectator/workforce numbers from LA28, the GETS estimate has changed from 2,700 buses to 1,747 buses (including spares/contingency) to provide enough capacity to meet the ridership demands given the parking restrictions resulting from the security perimeters around each venue. The reasons the GETS fleet number reduced significantly are chiefly due to finalized planning efforts over the past few months:
• Replacement venues better served by existing transit so less reliant on GETS
• Venue event scheduling efficiencies reducing daily GETS peak ridership
• With more certainty about venue event schedules now, opportunities exist to move GETS buses between venues on different days, reducing the overall peak fleet
• Revised lower attendance numbers at some venues reducing GETS ridership
Of the required 1,747 additional buses, over half have been secured.
Safety & Security:
Metro is committed to delivering a world-class transportation network for all - reflective of the global and inclusive values of the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
The Games will be a large-scale, complex undertaking that requires a comprehensive and robust safety and security strategy. The ultimate priority for Metro will be the safety and security of all riders, customers, workforce, and our community. Transportation will be a critical element of the overall safety and security plan for the Games.
Safety and Security planning for the Games started years ago, consisting of members of LA28, City of Los Angeles, California Office of Emergency Services, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Fire Department and local venue city law enforcement and emergency personnel among others. The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE) and as such, the United States Secret Service (USSS) has taken lead responsibility for planning and implementing operational security, with support from other federal, state and local agencies, including Metro.
Over the past year, Metro Department of Public Safety (DPS) staff has participated in various NSSE subcommittees hosted by the USSS to support the development of an overall operational security plan.
Metro will play a crucial role in planning transportation safety and security in a holistic and integrated manner for the Games. The key will be delivering safety and security measures that provide effective transport while maintaining a high-quality customer experience. Ongoing coordination continues with LA28 and GME partners on the following:
• Defining secured perimeters for each venue, especially near Metro stations
• Identifying spectator access points and ideal locations for GETS drop off that offer sufficient queuing space between a venue and the closest transit station
• Adding safety and security measures to GETS park and ride locations, GETS routes, GETS drop off and pick up locations at Games venues, and identifying GETS proximity to secure perimeter
• Identifying potential street closures for safety reasons to accommodate large crowds between transit stations and venues, and street closures in proximity to GETS routes and staging locations
Federal and State Advocacy Update
Metro continues to advocate for funding for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over the last quarter, Metro continued to meet with Congressional Appropriations staff to advocate for funding in the FY26 Senate Transportation & Housing Bill. As a reminder, the Senate T-HUD Appropriations Committee identified $68M to support transportation operations for the Games over the summer. Metro will continue to advocate for that funding by the time the FY26 Government Funding Bill is due on January 30th.
The next few months will be critical as we learn the result of the FY26 Federal Government Funding process by January 30th.
With respect to state advocacy on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Metro has reached out to both Senator Allen and Assemblymember McKinnor following their September 17 visit to Metro’s Special Board Meeting to discuss the Games. We look forward to working with our partners in the Legislature to advance funding opportunities for Games-related projects and programs. We understand the important role the State will play in supporting transportation in LA County during the Games and look forward to continued coordination with Sacramento on this issue.
Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant
Metro advanced the RCN program significantly throughout 2025, supporting multimodal corridor improvements directly aligned with Games Readiness efforts for 2028.
Design and Project Milestones
The Planning team successfully completed the 30% Final Design a month ahead of the original December 2025 timeline. This required extensive coordination with various cities, including COLA (the COLA leads stakeholders list was prepared in coordination with the Mayor’s office), jurisdictions, and internal departments. The final 30% design incorporated project refinements based on robust city and stakeholder input, culminating from 42 project meetings and 14 formal comment resolution meetings. Refer to Attachment C, RCN Status Update, for more details.
LA28 and GME Coordination
Since the last Special Quarterly Meeting, a term sheet between Metro and LA28 was agreed to and serves as a foundation for an upcoming Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) currently under negotiation. The MOU will be presented to the Board for final approval.
The GME core agencies continue to meet monthly in a Program Management (PM) setting to ensure the Workstreams are delivering on their goals and deliverables and staying on track to meet the needs of the Games. The PMs also ensure inter-workstream coordination to avoid duplication of efforts. As new key areas arise - modeling and mapping - key subject matter experts are activated but new workstreams are being limited. The GME workstreams have been including venue cities and other transit agency representatives for quite a while and now other government partners, like those within the Games Energy Council, are also being included where necessary.
GME Workstream Updates
Attachment A provides a summary of recent updates from GME workstreams, including those that are led by other agencies.
At the September 2025 Special Quarterly meeting, the Board requested an implementation timeline for Metro-led accessibility projects. This is provided in Attachment B (Metro Accessibility Projects Timeline).
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Equity is central to Metro’s Mobility Concept Plan and guides every aspect of preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As outlined in the MCP, while the focus is to ensure reliable service for everyone, the 2028 Games also provide a unique opportunity to accelerate long-term improvements that advance regional mobility, support transit dependent communities, and strengthen multimodal access across Los Angeles County. Core workstreams including Games Enhanced Transit Service (GETS), Safety and Security - which are critical for the Games, while the First and Last Mile improvements, Mobility Hubs, and regional corridor enhancements are being designed not simply to move spectators for a single global event, but to build a more connected, reliable, and resilient transportation system for the decades ahead. By expanding high quality transit service, improving access to key destinations, and coordinating transportation operations across agencies and jurisdictions, Metro is intentionally structuring Games readiness efforts to benefit everyone, including low-income riders, essential workers, youth, seniors, and communities historically excluded from major event investments. In addition, aligning the Metro Bias-Free and Data Analytics policies with safety strategies and security planning efforts will ensure that equity is incorporated for patrons and staff.
These legacy focused strategies reinforce Metro’s broader mission to expand equitable access to opportunity and improve quality of life for all Angelenos. Enhanced service connections, integrated mobility options, and coordinated safety measures will make it easier and safer for riders to travel between neighborhoods, job centers, resource areas, and major venues during the Games and far beyond. In alignment with Metro’s universal and inclusive design principles, prioritized accessibility upgrades at high impact stations further support a seamless customer experience for people with disabilities, older adults, and Limited English Proficiency customers. Together, these efforts advance Metro’s goals to reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles, increase transit ridership, and promote walkable, multimodal communities. By embedding equity into every phase of Games planning, Metro is ensuring that the transportation legacy of 2028 delivers lasting, inclusive benefits across the entire region.
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. Implementing the GETS will reduce the vehicle miles traveled during Games time by providing alternatives to driving and parking directly at venues. In addition, the implementation of first/last mile improvements, bus priority corridors, mobility hubs, and related projects that comprise the Mobility Concept Plan will make it faster, easier, and more enjoyable to use modes other than personal vehicles.
*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 Mobility Concept Plan projects that Metro is currently leading, including the initiation of the Final Design phase for the Metro-led capital projects. Staff will continue to seek potential federal, state, and local 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 on the finalization of a memorandum of understanding, as well as regular engagement. with other agencies throughout the region, in addition to the GME in order to ensure alignment on projects and operating plans, identify funding opportunities, and avoid duplication of work.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - GME Workstream Update Fact Sheets
Attachment B - Metro Accessibility Projects Timeline
Attachment C - RCN Status Update
Prepared_by
Prepared by:
Daniel Bernstein, Principal Transportation Planner, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 922-4135
Aldon Bordenave, Deputy Executive Officer, System Security & Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4404
Ernesto Chaves, Executive Officer, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 547- 4362
Joe Forgiarini, Senior Executive Officer, Operations, (213) 418- 3400
Hector Gutierrez, Senior Manager, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 444-9304
Meghna Khanna, Deputy Executive Officer, Planning, (213) 547- 4285
Kasey Shuda, Senior Director, Office of Strategic Innovation, (213) 454-6479
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Seleta Reynolds, Chief, Innovation and Games Mobility Planning, (213) 922-4656
Conan Cheung, Chief, Operations, (213) 418-3034
