Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
APRIL 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: I-605 CORRIDOR MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to:
A. EXECUTE Modification No. 10 to Contract No. AE333410011375 with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. (PTG) to provide additional professional services needed to complete the environmental phase of the I-605 Corridor Multimodal Improvements Project (I-605 CMIP) in the amount of $21,826,798, increasing the total contract value from $28,723,699 to $50,550,497 and, extend the period of performance from September 30, 2026, to December 30, 2028; and
B. EXECUTE Modification No. 10 to Contract No. AE5204200 with HDR Engineering, Inc. (HDR) to provide additional professional services that are needed to complete the environmental phase of the I-605 CMIP in the amount of $25,108,331, increasing the total contract value from $38,559,071 to $63,667,402 and extend the period of performance from September 30, 2026, to December 30, 2028.
Issue
ISSUE
At the January 2025 meeting, the Board approved staff’s request to reinitiate work on the Project Approval and Environmental Documents (PAED) phase of the I-605 CMIP, consistent with the I-605 Corridor Improvements Project (CIP). Accordingly, both contracts that support the I-605 CMIP must be modified to update, revise, and complete the technical studies that support the Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) in alignment with the Board Motion 42 (Attachment A), which was introduced on October 22, 2020, by Directors Solis, Hahn, Garcia, Fasana, Garcetti, and Bonin. The contract modifications include the development of locally supported alternatives that minimize right-of-way impacts and include complete streets and multimodal improvements.
Background
BACKGROUND
The current scope of the I-605 CMIP is the result of Metro and Caltrans combining two separate projects in the I-605 Corridor into one. The project is intended to improve safety and multimodal mobility along the corridor, which currently experiences higher than average collision rates. From 2019-2023, there were a total of 4,335 collisions resulting in injury within the project study area, with 201 severe injuries and 48 fatalities1.
In September 2015, Metro awarded Contract No. AE333410011375, PAED services to PTG for the I-605/I-5 Interchange Improvements Project (I-605/I-5). The project limits were between I-105 and Slauson Avenue on I-605, and from Florence Boulevard to Paramount Boulevard on I-5.
In June 2016, Metro awarded Contract No. AE5204200, PAED services to HDR for the I-605/SR-60 Interchange Improvements Project (I-605/SR-60). The project limits were along I-605 from Telegraph Road to the I-10 interchange, and along SR-60 from Santa Anita Avenue to east of Turnbull Canyon Road.
Both projects were funded via line 35 of the Measure R expenditure plan, “Interstate 605 Corridor ‘Hot Spots’ Interchanges.” The scopes of services for the two contracts were independent, except for coordination at the shared terminus at Slauson Avenue, and identified the limits of each project respectively. Similarly, two contracts were awarded to develop two separate EIR/EIS documents for the I-605/I-5 and I-605/SR-60 projects.
After the contracts were awarded, Caltrans District 7 determined that due to logical termini, the two projects had to be combined. This approach would ensure a comprehensive evaluation of potential environmental impacts and comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The combined scopes would be pursued as one EIR/EIS but be retained as two separate contracts.
1Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, University of California, Berkeley. 2026
Discussion
DISCUSSION
As part of Metro’s commitment to improving mobility and moving people efficiently across the corridor and in response to the Board’s action to reauthorize work on the I-605 CMIP, the contract modification approach would focus on multimodal transportation elements. Corridor cities expressed support for identifying multimodal projects from their existing planning documents that could serve as early action projects, led and funded by the cities through available grants. Project alternatives that incorporate multimodal improvements would be environmentally cleared with the flexibility to implement near-term components independently by local agencies. Each city would prioritize a multimodal project that aligns with local needs, and this phased approach would allow jurisdictions to pursue Measure R and Measure M funds - separately from highway funds - along with other funding sources. This strategy will help address local transportation goals more effectively. At the same time, the broader project would coordinate context-sensitive solutions with freeway upgrades focused on safety and moving people, improving connectivity between freeway ramps and local streets to support reducing traffic conflicts, and promoting safer, more efficient travel through the use of managed lane solutions like high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or ExpressLanes. The PAED phase will include an implementation study that will evaluate opportunities to phase the design and construction of the Project.
The requested contract modifications are necessary to complete the PAED phase of the Project for the revised alternatives and incorporate the multimodal projects for each corridor city. Additional resources are required to produce an EIR/EIS that incorporates the design refinements, revised project alternatives, integrated Transportation System Management/Transportation Demand Management (TSM/TDM) and multimodal elements, and supplemental outreach results that were developed as part of the Project following Motion 42.
Project Revised Alternatives
• Alternative 1: Existing conditions (No Build).
• Alternative 2: Incorporate multimodal and Transportation System/Demand Management (TSM/TDM) improvements throughout the corridor; convert the existing HOV lane to an ExpressLane.
• Alternative 3: Incorporate multimodal and TSM/TDM improvements throughout the corridor; convert the existing HOV lane to an ExpressLane and add an additional ExpressLane in each direction.
• Alternative 4: Incorporate multimodal and TSM/TDM improvements throughout the corridor; maintain the existing HOV lane and add an additional HOV lane in each direction.
Revenue Potential
The revised Alternatives 2 and 3 have the potential to generate toll revenue through the implementation of ExpressLanes. A Traffic and Revenue forecast study was conducted in 2019 for the original 2016 alternatives. According to the study, the original Alternative 3, which also included the conversion of the existing HOV lane to and ExpressLane and the addition of another ExpressLane, had the potential to generate net toll revenues of $14,896,000 by 2031 and $21,926,000 by 2040 (estimate is in 2019 dollars, based on the schedule of the original project alternatives prior to Motion 42). A new Traffic and Revenue forecast study will be developed as part of the PAED effort for the revised alternatives to provide updated estimates of the revenue potential of each alternative.
Project Management and Administration
Retention of both primes is necessary to maintain continuity of services for the Project. The existing contractors have worked on the Project since 2016, and their knowledge and the work that they have completed to date will allow for the most efficient completion of the PAED phase for the revised alternatives.
The consultant team compositions have been modified to reflect the holistic approach of the revised alternatives. The teams have added subconsultant firms specializing in complete streets, multimodal design, and community outreach-firms that were not part of the original team and whose expertise will enhance the project’s multimodal and complete streets design and community engagement and help align this project with Metro policies.
Completing the PAED phase of the Project will extend the project schedule for an additional 27 months. The revised project alternatives and added project elements will result in the need for additional project management activities and coordination by both HDR and PTG, resulting in increased administration and project management costs. The estimated cost for this work is $4,387,307.
Updated Engineering and Environmental Technical Studies
Developing the updated EIR/EIS will require previous engineering and environmental studies to be updated, revised, and in some cases redone, to reflect the revised alternatives and incorporated multimodal elements that were developed through the outreach and redesign efforts following Motion 42. These updates will require additional resources to complete.
Numerous engineering and environmental technical studies will require substantial revisions and additional technical work in order to meet compliance and permit requirements for several EIR/EIS items, and will likely result in increased costs due to the administrative and technical work required to comply with new requirements. The estimated cost for this work is $34,127,090.
The following engineering and environmental technical studies will be revised:
Multimodal and Complete Streets Framework Workshops
In May 2025, Metro staff began hosting workshops with cities along the I-605 corridor to establish a framework for integrating multimodal and complete streets enhancements into the project. These workshops aimed to guide the implementation of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit improvements and to gather local input on city-prioritized projects for consideration.
The project alternatives will be environmentally cleared through a combined EIR/EIS, but in a parallel process, city-prioritized multimodal and complete streets projects will be separately cleared through exemptions/exclusions where possible. This process would enable these components to be independently implemented by local agencies through design and construction. Additionally, local agencies would be able to access Measure R, Measure M, and other funding sources for these projects separately from dedicated highway funds, expanding their potential funding pool and addressing local transportation needs more effectively. By coordinating context-sensitive solutions with freeway upgrades, the project aims to improve connectivity between freeway ramps and nearby local networks and promote safer travel.
Beyond the development of the EIR/EIS document for the corridor, the requested contract modifications include additional resources to allow for the analysis of these individual multimodal and complete streets components for each of the impacted corridor cities. The estimated cost for this work is $2,251,591.
Community Engagement and Coordination
Public feedback remains a vital part of the project’s success. Moving forward, the project will prioritize highlighting key messages related to safety, multimodal transportation improvements, and transparent communication to emphasize that this project will not involve residential property acquisition or major freeway expansion, reflecting community input to date.
Following contract modifications, staff will begin updating technical studies and revising the engineering design, and developing a community engagement plan. Over the next year, staff will coordinate additional workshops with corridor cities to collaboratively refine multimodal and complete streets elements. These workshops will be followed by extensive community engagement activities that include meetings to share updated design concepts and gather public feedback, community pop-up events, interactive Project engagement tools like a website and mapping platform to provide project information and collect additional feedback, and a robust Community-Based Organization Partnership Program. The CBO partnership program will include up to 20 CBOs to facilitate engagement with communities along the corridor, conduct additional CBO led workshops and events, and lead door-to-door direct engagement efforts. These ongoing supplemental engagement efforts will entail specialized outreach services and will require additional resources. Additional small-group or neighborhood-specific meetings may also be held to ensure meaningful input from directly affected communities. Community-based organizations will be engaged to help facilitate the community outreach process for the project. Regular briefings will be conducted with local Cities and Council of Government partners as the Project moves forward. Staff will continue progressing toward the environmental document release, targeted for early 2027. The estimated cost for this work is $1,120,908.
The table below summarizes the cost estimate of $46,935,129 to complete the PAED phase of the Project:
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Approval of this item will have no adverse impact on the safety of Metro’s patrons, employees, or users of these facilities. Caltrans and local safety standards will be adhered to during the implementation of the proposed project improvements.
As heard in the community outreach meetings, postponing enhancements to the I-605 corridor could fail to address safety and multimodal concerns and further deteriorate traffic conditions that impact commuters and regional economic activity.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The FY26 budget for I-605/I-5 and I-605/SR-60 is $7.0M and $5.0M, respectively. Both projects are included in the Complete Streets and Highways Program, Cost Center 4720, under Task No. 5.2.100, Account No. 50316 (Professional Services) under Project 461314 for I-605/I-5 and Project No 463314 for I-605/SR-60.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Chief Planning Officer and the Project Manager will be responsible for coordinating the programming and budgeting costs in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds for this Project is Measure R (20%) Highway fund. The fund is not eligible for bus and rail operations.
The balance of $117,282,770 in Measure R Highway Capital funds programmed for the I-605 CMIP under Professional Services Contracts #AE5204200 and #AE333410011375 is available to cover the costs and contract modifications.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Approving the execution of the modifications of the contracts will support the potential benefits of the I-605 CMIP. Metro and Caltrans have engaged and will continue to engage all stakeholders and the affected parties throughout the duration of the environmental process for the I-605 CMIP, with an emphasis placed on underserved low-income minority populations, as well as the most impacted communities.
Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. (PTG) made a 27.25% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and 3.03% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) commitments on this contract. The current participation is 26.41% SBE and 2.03% DVBE, representing shortfalls of both the SBE and DVBE commitment of 0.84% and 1%, respectively. HDR Engineering made a 34.24% SBE and 3.06% DVBE commitment on the contract. The current SBE participation is 35.38%, exceeding the commitment by 1.14%, and a current DVBE participation of 2.09%, representing a 0.95% shortfall. The DVBE shortfalls are a result of the previous Board action to place the project on hold. This shortfall will be mitigated as the PAED phase progresses and DVBE firms are able to resume work.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
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 transit2. 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.
While the agency remains committed to reducing VMT through transit and multimodal investments, some projects may induce or increase personal vehicle travel. However, these individual projects aim to ensure the efficient and safe movement of people and goods.
Since the proposed project is located on the State Highway System, Caltrans serves as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lead agency. Under Senate Bill (SB) 743, lead agencies are required to assess VMT impacts for applicable projects. For this project, Metro will utilize the Transportation Analysis under CEQA (TAC), the Transportation Analysis Framework (TAF), and data from the California Statewide Travel Demand Model (CSTDM) to assess impacts on metrics such as VMT, rather than relying solely on traditional measures like traffic delay or congestion. This approach emphasizes emissions efficiency, multimodal transportation development, and sustainable land use planning.
This Board item will likely increase VMT in LA County. The TAC identifies that capacity-increasing projects like the I-605 CMIP that include the addition of through lanes, HOV lanes, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) separated interchange lanes (e.g. ExpressLanes), are typically expected to increase VMT. According to the TAF, these projects may induce travel through mechanisms such as:
• Route changes
• Mode shifts toward automobile use
• Longer and more frequent trips
• Increased dispersion of development
Although this item may not directly contribute to the achievement of the Board-adopted VMT Reduction Targets, the VMT Targets were developed to account for the cumulative effect of a suite of programs and projects within the Metro region, which individually may induce or increase VMT. Additionally, Metro has a voter-approved mandate to deliver multimodal projects that enhance mobility while ensuring the efficient and safe movement of people and goods. The I-605 CMIP will include elements that aim to encourage mode shifts away from single-occupancy vehicles along the corridor by examining alternatives that promote carpooling and transit use through HOV and HOT lanes, along with the introduction of multimodal and complete streets elements.
Mitigation Considerations
Mitigation on the State Highway System is generally limited to on-site options under Caltrans’ authority. Off-site measures often fall under the jurisdiction of the local land use authority, or in this case, Metro. Some off-site mitigation strategies that Metro will examine as part of the I-605 CMIP include:
• Complete streets enhancements
• Multimodal infrastructure (bike, pedestrian, and transit facilities)
• Park-and-ride lots
• Public education and incentive programs to reduce single-occupancy trips
• Intelligent transportation systems
• Bus efficiency and traffic management strategies
• Land use planning integration
• Cordon (area-based) pricing
• Parking management and pricing
• Employer-based transportation demand management
• VMT mitigation banks or exchanges
• VMT impact fee programs
Additionally, according to Caltrans VMT guidelines, lane conversions from HOV lanes to ExpressLanes - as proposed in the modified Alternative 2 - may be exempt from VMT mitigation requirements.
2Based 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 I-605 CMIP supports the following Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan Goals:
1. Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling.
2. Transform LA County through regional collaboration.
The I-605 CMIP also supports the following Multimodal Highway Investment Objectives:
1. Advancing the mobility needs of people and goods within Los Angeles County by developing projects and programs that support traffic mobility and enhanced safety, economic vitality, equitable impacts, access to opportunity, regional sustainability; and resiliency for affected local communities and the region.
2. Work with local communities to reduce disparities caused by existing highway systems and develop holistic, positive approaches to maintain and improve the integrity and quality of life.
3. Ensure that local and regional investment in Los Angeles County’s highway system - particularly the implementation of Measures R and M priorities - is considered within the context of a countywide multimodal, integrated planning vision that reflects a holistic approach to meeting the needs of local communities, reducing disparities, creating a safer and well-maintained transportation system, and fostering greater regional mobility and access to opportunities.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the staff recommendations. However, this alternative is not recommended because the proposed corridor improvements (included in the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan) reflect regional consensus on the importance of improving corridor mobility and safety. Further project delays could result in delays to the construction of vital safety enhancements for the I-605 corridor, and potentially impact the ability to pursue future grant funding for the project if completion of the PAED phase is delayed.
While advancing only one contract modification or deferring action until completion of the Decennial was discussed, neither option is recommended. Advancing a single contract modification would not satisfy the scope and commitments established under Motion 42.
Deferring project action until the Decennial process concludes would likely extend the schedule, increase costs, and risk the loss of critical funding opportunities for the I-605 Corridor Multimodal Improvements Project.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval of the recommendations, staff will execute Modification No. 10 to Contract No. AE333410011375 with PTG for Project Approval and Environmental Documents (PA/ED) for the I-605/I-5 Interchange Project and Modification No. 10 to Contract No. AE5204200 with HDR for PAED for the I-605/SR-60 Interchange Improvement Project.
Staff will provide periodic updates to the Board on the progress of the PAED phase for the I-605 CMIP that is expected to be completed in early 2027, as well as the results of the additional workshops with corridor cities that will help define the project’s multimodal elements.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Motion 42
Attachment B-1 - Procurement Summary
Attachment B-2 - Procurement Summary
Attachment C-1 - Contract Modification/Change Order Log
Attachment C-2 - Contract Modification/Change Order Log
Attachment D-1 - DEOD Summary
Attachment D-2 - DEOD Summary
Attachment E - I-605 CMIP Multimodal and Complete Streets Framework May 2025
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Nathan Carlson, Principal Transportation Planner, Complete Streets and Highways, (213) 922-4951
Carlos J. Montez, Deputy Executive Officer, Complete Streets and Highways, (213) 418-3241
Michelle Smith, Executive Officer, Complete Streets and Highways, (213) 547-4368
Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Multimodal Integrated Planning, (213) 547-4317
Nicole Ferrera, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4322
Carolina Coppolo, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 922-4471
Marisa Perez, Deputy Chief Community Relations Officer, (213) 544-0188
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
