Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 16, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: COUNTYWIDE CALL FOR PROJECTS
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. DEOBLIGATING $2.23 million of previously approved Call for Projects (Call) funding, as shown in Attachment A, and held in reserve;
B. APPROVING changes to the scope of work for the City of Long Beach - 1st Street Pedestrian Gallery (#F9628);
C. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or their designee to negotiate and execute all necessary agreements/or amendments for previously awarded projects; and
D. RECEIVING AND FILING time extensions for 46 projects shown in Attachment B.
Issue
ISSUE
Each year the Board must recertify funding for prior Call projects in order to release the funds to project sponsors. The Board must also approve the deobligation of lapsing project funds after providing project sponsors with the opportunity to appeal staff’s preliminary deobligation recommendations to the Metro Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The Board must also approve major changes to the project scope of work for previously approved Call projects. Staff have evaluated the proposed changes and found that they are consistent with the intent of the original scope of work. The Board must also receive and file the time extensions granted through previously delegated Board authority.
Background
BACKGROUND
The Call, an existing competitive grant program dating back to the early 1990s, programmed $4.7 billion (close to 1,400 projects) in a variety of transportation funds, such as federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ), Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP), and local Proposition C 25% funds, to local jurisdictions for regionally significant projects that are often beyond the financial capabilities of local sponsors at that time. The last Call cycle, including all funding commitments and project scopes of work, was approved by the Board in September 2015. Since the inception of the Call, newer transportation revenues have been made available to the local jurisdictions, including the Measure R and Measure M Subregional Programs that provide greater and more flexible funding. Metro staff continuously collaborate with subregions and local agencies on identifying new capital projects that serve the needs of the communities in the County.
The Call process implements Metro’s multi-modal programming priorities and the adopted Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Since the adoption of the last Call funding commitments in 2015, the Board has reinforced annual authorization and timely use of funds policies. Specifically, Board policy calls for the consideration of the deobligation of funding from project sponsors who have not met lapsing deadlines or have formally notified Metro that they no longer wish to proceed with the project (cancellation). All projects are subject to a close-out audit after completion. Once the project sponsor concurs with the audit findings, remaining funding, if any, is proposed for deobligation. All proposed $2.23 million deobligated funds included in Attachment A are due to project savings or cancellation requested by the project sponsors and would not be involuntarily deobligated by this proposed Board action, as further described in the attachment. The deobligated funds will be held in the reserve. Currently, there are $16.2 million in reserve ($14.9 million in Proposition C 25% funds and $1.31 million in State Repayment of Capital Project Loan funds), not including the proposed deobligating amount in this report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
This report summarizes the 2026 annual review and recommendations.
Staff have been actively working with the local jurisdictions to prioritize and expedite project implementation to meet the Call funding commitments. Quarterly Progress/Expenditures reporting are required on all active projects.
Annually since August 2020, staff also reported completed assessments of the past and current recipient performance in project delivery (2007 to 2015 Call cycles). Staff updated the table as of June 30, 2026 (see below), which shows that 62 active Call projects totaling $182.9 million are yet to be fully implemented. Since July 2025, project sponsors have completed an additional 39 projects, which include bottleneck intersection improvements, signal, bikeway, and pedestrian improvements, and transit capital projects, with total expenditures/obligations of $47.6 million. Remaining projects across numerous jurisdictions throughout Los Angeles County focus on multimodal improvements and support for the region’s mobility needs and support of safe, sustainable, environmentally friendly improvements. All of the remaining 2007 and 2009 Call projects are under construction or in the process of obligating the construction funds. Overall, approximately 26 additional Call projects are expected to be completed within 12 months. Staff will continue working with the project sponsors to advance the delivery of all projects.
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Appeals
Projects with significant delays are notified of the potential deobligation and the project sponsors’ right to appeal. In May 2026, project sponsors who were required to appear at the Metro Call TAC appeals were notified. On June 3, 2026, the TAC heard sponsor appeals on the proposed deobligation of funding from seven projects (Attachment C). The TAC recognized the progress made to the projects and recommended extensions to 2027 for all seven projects and requested project status updates to TAC at the June 2027 meeting. Staff concurs with these recommendations, as these projects are preparing to start construction within the next 6 to 12 months and cities’ commitment to deliver these projects within the revised schedule provided at the TAC appeals.
Project Scope of Work Changes
The City of Long Beach - 1st Street Pedestrian Gallery (#F9628) was programmed through the 2015 Call. As approved, the project covers 0.35 miles of pedestrian improvements - including sidewalks and crosswalks, street and pedestrian lighting, benches, wayfinding and signage, and landscaping on 1st Street in downtown Long Beach between Pacific Ave. and Elm Ave. The city is requesting a revision to the scope of work by removing colored concrete and decorative inlay work (affecting sidewalk replacement and some crosswalks), reducing certain landscaping elements, simplifying streetscape and lighting improvements, and replacing the realignment of 1st Street with a smaller curb bulb-out. The city’s recent construction procurement process resulted in a re-evaluation of project costs and subsequent value engineering to preserve the project's key elements. The requested changes would allow the city to deliver the project and improve pedestrian connectivity, enhance safety, and support downtown activation. Staff have evaluated the proposed change in scope and found it consistent with the intent of the original scope of work. Metro will maintain its funding commitment of $2,716,524, and the city will maintain its local match commitment of $905,507 (25%). In addition, the city is committed to covering any future project cost overruns.
Receive and File Time Extensions
During the 2001 Countywide Call Recertification, Deobligation, and Extension, the Board authorized the administrative extension of projects based on the following reasons:
1) Project delay due to an unforeseen and extraordinary circumstance beyond the control of the project sponsor (federal or state delay, legal challenge, Act of God);
2) Project delay due to Metro action that results in a change in project scope, schedule, or sponsorship that is mutually agreed upon; and
3) The project is contractually obligated, however, a time extension is needed to complete construction that is already underway (capital projects only).
Based on the above criteria, extensions for the 46 projects shown in Attachment B are being granted.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The 2026 Call Recertification and Deobligation will not have any adverse safety impacts on Metro’s employees or patrons. The Call projects support the development of a transportation system that will balance multimodal mobility options and improvements that enable people to spend less time traveling.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The amount of $37.4 million is included in the FY 202627 Adopted Budget in Cost Centers 0441 (Subsidies to Others), 0442 (subsidies - Complete Streets & Highway), and 0445 (subsidies budget - ITS) for the Countywide Call, in Project #s 410002, 410007, 410008, 410009, 410018, and 410033. Since these are multi-year projects, the cost center managers and Chief Planning Officer will be responsible for budgeting in future years.
Impact to Budget
The sources of funds for these activities are Proposition C 25%, and State Repayment of Capital Project Loan Funds. Proposition C 25% funds are eligible for transportation system/demand management (TSM/TDM) programs such as open streets events and are not eligible for Metro bus and rail operations expenses.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Metro’s Call program was a competitive process that distributed discretionary capital transportation funds to regionally significant projects that improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, provide access and mobility, connect bikeway networks, and promote walking, etc. The projects (and scopes) included in this action predate the Equity Platform (adopted in 2018). As such, Equity Platform criteria were not included in the evaluation of these projects. However, the third pillar of the Equity Platform, “Focus and Deliver” applies to these community-driven projects. Given that no equity analysis occurred during the initial grant process, staff are now working to evaluate the equity impacts from the existing grants. The Equity Focus Communities (“EFCs”, adopted as part of the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan, updated in 2022 and 2025) are being applied to all current Call grants to support the first pillar of the Equity Platform, “Define and Measure”. Specifically, the EFCs are a mapping tool that has been added to the Call administration database since July 2021. The analysis of the EFC layer to the Call grants (within a 1-mile radius) provides information about the makeup of the communities being served by these projects. See Attachment D for a map of the remaining 62 projects (84%) in EFCs.
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.
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. This Board item, which looks at a number of smaller investments across modes, will likely increase VMT in LA County, as it includes several projects that encourage driving alone.
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.
*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 recommendation supports the following goals of the Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling by alleviating the current operational deficiencies and improving mobility along the projects.
Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration with the subregions and local jurisdictions in the implementation of the projects.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could cancel all or some of the FY 2026-27 funding commitments rather than authorizing their continued expenditure. This would be a change to the previous Board-approved Countywide Calls programming commitments and would disrupt ongoing projects, right-of-way acquisition particularly, that received multi-year funding.
With respect to deobligation, the Board could choose to deobligate funds from one or more project sponsors whose projects are beyond the lapse dates and are not moving forward consistently with the adopted Revised Lapsing Policy rather than extending the deadlines. A much stricter interpretation of the Revised Lapsing Policy might encourage project sponsors in general to deliver them in a timelier fashion. However, this would be disruptive to the process of delivering specific projects currently underway, as approximately 26 projects are now very close to being delivered. On balance, the appeals process between the project sponsors, and the Metro TAC is a significant reminder to project sponsors that these funded projects should not be further delayed thus ensuring policy objectives are achieved in expending the funds as intended by the Call program.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will notify project sponsors of next steps upon Board approval of the 2026 Countywide Call Deobligation and Extension process. Amendments to existing Funding Agreements will be completed for those sponsors receiving time extensions. Metro staff will identify recommended uses for the reserve, including countywide needs, and address subregional cost increases, which are consistent with the prior recommended uses of the Call reserve. Project sponsors whose funds are being deobligated and those receiving date-certain time extension deadlines for executing their agreements will be formally notified of the Board's action.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - FY 2025-26 Countywide Call Deobligation
Attachment B - FY 2025-26 Countywide Call Extensions
Attachment C - Result of TAC Appeals Process
Attachment D - Call and Equity Focus Communities Map
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Fanny Pan, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Programming,
(213) 418-3433
Laurie Lombardi, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Programming, (213) 418-3251
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
