Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: PICO RIVERA METROLINK STATION
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE ORAL REPORT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE oral report on the status of the Metrolink Pico Rivera station.
Issue
ISSUE
At its September 2026 meeting, staff provided a brief update on the Metrolink Pico Rivera station. In response, Director Hahn requested that staff return to the Committee with a further oral update on the project.
Background
BACKGROUND
During the development of the California High Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Los
Angeles - Anaheim Project Section, CHSRA identified the need to build a new rail viaduct in the City of Commerce that requires relocating the existing Commerce Metrolink Station as a formal mitigation. CHSRA proposes relocating the station 4,650 feet east of the current location to the City of Montebello. The identified area is surrounded by heavy industrial land uses; lacks transit and active transportation connectivity; is incompatible with adopted and emerging land use plans; and does not support short- or long-term ridership growth or transit-oriented community development, given the scale of investment. Current ridership at the station is 33 boardings per day.
In response to a February 2023 Metro Board motion (Attachment A), Metro initiated a feasibility study for a new commuter rail station within the City of Pico Rivera. The feasibility study was completed in December 2025 (Attachment B), and indicated a ridership estimate of 350-430 daily boardings. A cost-benefit analysis was not performed as part of the feasibility study but would be conducted should the project advance to the preliminary engineering (PE) phase.
Concurrent with the feasibility study, representatives from the cities of Commerce, Montebello, and Pico Rivera submitted a consensus letter to the Metro Board indicating support to relocate the Commerce Metrolink Station to Pico Rivera along the Metrolink Orange County Line and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner (LOSSAN) corridor (Attachment C), consistent with recommendations in the Pico Rivera 2035 Plan.
In March 2026, the Board approved Motion 27 (Attachment D) directing the Chief Executive Officer to present an update to the Metro Board on efforts to coordinate with CHSRA and to identify and program resources, as funding allows, plus other actions, to advance PE for a Metrolink commuter rail station in the City of Pico Rivera. Staff provided an update at the meeting last month.
In September 2026, the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) acted to: 1) acknowledge that the Pico Rivera station project is within the SGVCOG’s area of responsibility to lead the PE phase; and 2) enter into potential funding agreements with Metro, the City, and CHSRA (Attachment E). Item 1 affirms the SGVCOG’s interest and authority to accept the role of leading the next phase of the project and Item 2 authorizes the SGVCOG Executive Director to enter into agreements with potential funding partners should the project advance.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The objectives of the potential Metrolink Pico Rivera station are to: 1) improve mobility options and improve transit access; 2) complement existing and planned rail conditions in the corridor; 3) support economic development, community revitalization, and community needs; 4) provide environmental benefits and reduce environmental impacts; and 5) ensure cost effectiveness and financial viability. In general, the feasibility study concluded that a proposed Pico Rivera station would promote greater regional mobility options and support the city’s community revitalization efforts, including transit-oriented development, bike path enhancements, bus rapid transit, environmental sustainability, and economic growth.
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 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. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through investment activities that will improve and further encourage transit ridership, ridesharing, and active transportation. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets were designed to build on the success of existing investments, and this item aligns with those objectives.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Board Motion 15
Attachment B - Feasibility Study/Project Definition Report
Attachment C - Commerce Station Consensus Letter
Attachment D - Board Motion 27
Attachment E - SGVCOG Board Action
Prepared_by
Prepared by:
Jay Fuhrman, Senior Manager, Transportation Planning, (213) 418-3179
Michael Cano, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development,
(213) 418-3010
Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development,(213) 547-4317
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4247
