Meeting_Body
Planning and Programming Committee
APRIL 17, 2024
Subject
SUBJECT: LONG BEACH-EAST LA CORRIDOR MOBILITY INVESTMENT PLAN
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
ADOPT the Long Beach-East Los Angeles Corridor Mobility Investment Plan (CMIP) and its recommendations for funding programs and projects, as found in Attachments A and B.
Issue
ISSUE
Following an intensive, community-focused, and inclusive 31-month process to engage impacted residents, community leaders, and a wide range of stakeholders in the Long Beach-East LA (LB-ELA) Corridor through the LB-ELA Corridor Task Force, Community Leadership Committee (CLC), various working groups and numerous public forums, staff now brings the Final LB-ELA CMIP to the Board for review and adoption.
Board action to adopt the Final LB-ELA CMIP will also satisfy California Transportation Commission (CTC) guidelines to qualify the Investment Plan as an Interstate 710 (I-710) Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan (CMCP), making projects in the Investment Plan eligible for discretionary grants awarded through the CTC-administered Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP).
Background
BACKGROUND
I-710 serves as the nation’s most important freight highway corridor, supporting the movement of goods that support the regional, state, and national economies. Tens of thousands of heavy-duty diesel trucks travel on the freeway daily, serving the nation’s busiest seaport complex, intermodal railyards, warehouses, logistics centers, and transloading facilities. The LB-ELA Corridor’s shared-use transportation system-anchored by I-710 and supported by five intersecting freeways (I-405, State Route [SR] 91, I-105, I-5, and SR-60), the Alameda Rail Corridor, and major arterial highways-is responsible for moving the growing volume of cargo handled by the nation’s busiest seaport complex to the transcontinental rail terminals near Downtown Los Angeles and other national and local destinations.
I-710 is also the nation’s most community-adverse freight highway corridor. As Southern California's population grew over the decades, so did the demand on I-710 to carry regional commuters and goods, straining the freeway's limited capacity, resulting in traffic congestion, safety concerns, and spillover traffic onto arterial roadways parallel to the freeway that serve the LB-ELA Corridor communities. As the nation, state, and regional economy prospered from the increased movement of goods and international trade supported by I-710, the communities through which the freeway was constructed bore the burden of increased air pollution and freight traffic, deteriorated public health and mobility, and displacement; they suffered an overall poorer quality of life. These negative community health impacts externalities have tragically earned the LB-ELA Corridor the apt moniker “Diesel Death Zone.”
In May 2021, the Metro Board suspended further work to advance the I-710 South Corridor Project Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIR/EIS) following concerns from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) about the project’s ability to meet air quality conformity and from community concerns of the proposed widening of the freeway in the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) 5C that threatened to displace over 430 residences.
Staff initiated the LB-ELA (formerly I-710 South, renamed in May 2022) Corridor Task Force in September 2021 to re-engage local impacted communities and stakeholders to develop a set of recommendations for Metro investment in a multimodal array of projects and programs that would take the place of the original I-710 South Corridor Project, for which the Board acted in May 2022 to replace its original LPA 5C with a new LPA - Alternative 1, the “No Build” Alternative . The I-710 South Corridor Project Final Environmental Document, with a “No Build” or “No Action” preferred alternative, is expected to be signed by Caltrans District 7 in mid-2024 (File #2022-0100).
Staff convened the Task Force in September 2021, which included 35 representatives from local jurisdictions, community-based organizations (CBOs), elected officeholders, universities, and stakeholders representing the corridor's goods movement, business, labor, public health, and air quality advocates and partners. The Task Force met monthly over the past 31 months to advance a comprehensive work plan to build trust and achieve consensus; define the Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles; develop multimodal strategies and identify projects and programs; evaluate and refine projects and programs; create an investment and policy strategy for implementation; and report to the Metro Board with the Final CMIP.
To ensure the participation and viewpoint of impacted residents in the LB-ELA Corridor, staff worked with the Task Force to establish the Community Leadership Committee (CLC), a compensated advisory body comprising 26 local residents, and convene related working groups like the Equity Working Group (EWG) to articulate the values of the communities and stakeholders within the corridor to guide the development of the LB-ELA CMIP.
With this foundation in place, staff launched the next phase of the Task Force’s workplan by conducting extensive community engagement and stakeholder outreach to develop the Task Force’s Initial List of Multimodal Strategies, Projects, and Programs (MSPPs).
Staff then led the Task Force and CLC in joint and separate meetings to develop the evaluative criteria, receive feedback, and present how the criteria were applied to the MSPPs. Staff worked with the technical team to combine these results with additional factors and criteria to identify candidate projects and programs to be included in the Draft CMIP for consideration of Board investment.
At the November 2023 Board meeting, staff presented the tiering analysis and implementation assessment to help refine the overall evaluation of MSPPs that were scored in mid-2023. Using this information and feedback from the CLC and Task Force, staff then developed the Draft CMIP to be considered by the project stakeholders and the general public.
On January 31, 2024, Metro released the Draft CMIP for public review. This action initiated a 30-day public review period that was then extended to 60 days to April 1, 2024, at the request of Director Hahn. The Draft CMIP was published on the Metro website and project hub webpage (https://lb-elacorridorplan-lametro.hub.arcgis.com/) and promoted to the public via social media, The Source, and El Pasajero, among other media.
During this review period, Metro conducted five in-person and five virtual community meetings (accompanied by a total of seven on-site streaming locations) to present the CMIP recommendations to the public. Metro also convened two Task Force meetings on February 26 and March 18, 2024, two CLC meetings on February 15 and 22, 2024, and one in-person CLC Working Session on March 21, 2024. Staff received over 420 comments from the in-person and virtual community forums, emails, phone calls, online project forms, Task Force meetings, CLC meetings, Working Group meetings, Coordinating Committee, small stakeholder group meetings, the project dashboard and letters. These comments (Attachment C) were logged and evaluated for inclusion in the revised CMIP.
Following the closure of the 60-day public review process on April 1, 2024, and review of the comment log staff developed and presented recommended revisions of the Draft CMIP to the CLC on April 4, 2024. The CLC voted 62% in support of the CMIP and its recommendations as is. Those that voted “no” were generally in favor of the process and the CMIP, but wanted to raise their concerns to the Task Force and Metro Board that they want to see a greater focus and commitment to public health and the community programs, and want to make sure Metro follows through with uplifting community needs as a priority for the Investment Plan.
Staff presented the recommended revisions of the Draft CMIP, along with the result of the CLC meeting, to the Task Force on April 8, 2024. The Task Force voted 70% in support of the Investment Plan in principle and moved it forward to the Board for adoption while acknowledging that there is more work to be done through the working groups to collectively refine implementation. Those that voted “no” commented in general that they would like to have more time to discuss the revised plan and that they wanted to see a more detailed, specific set of health projects and programs identified through the proposed public health community program before providing support.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The LB-ELA Corridor is home to many vibrant, multicultural, and unique communities that together represent 12% of LA County’s population. These historic communities include four of LA County’s oldest incorporated communities-Compton (incorporated in 1888), Long Beach (1897), Vernon (1905), and Huntington Park (1906)-and feature a rich mosaic of ethnicities, religious denominations, culinary experiences, and cultural traditions that help make LA County a diverse and dynamic place to live and work.
The future opportunity for the LB-ELA Corridor communities to thrive and enjoy a high quality of life, from clean air and good health to safe and plentiful mobility options and access to opportunities, remains challenged and unclear due to the compounded, generational legacy of transportation infrastructure decisions, policies, and investment priorities that have served more to fracture and dim the LB-ELA Corridor mosaic than to unify and illuminate it.
The LB-ELA Corridor greatly needs comprehensive, multimodal transportation and community investment to repair the harm caused by the legacy of I-710 and to serve as the foundation for a healthy, mobile, and prosperous future for these communities. This need is a main reason why LB-ELA Corridor communities supported Measures R (2008) and M (2016) which collectively identified $1.09 billion in funding for the I-710 (LB-ELA) Corridor. The LB-ELA CMIP offers an opportunity to create, in collaboration with communities and stakeholders, a long-term strategic transportation investment approach that is aligned with the CMIP’s Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles.
The CMIP reflects over $16 billion in transportation-related investments identified by cities, stakeholders, and the public to improve mobility, air quality, safety, environmental sustainability, and opportunity for Corridor residents dependent on using the Corridor’s transportation system, including the Southeast Gateway Light Rail Transit Line. Anchoring this overarching investment need is $743 million in Measure R and M funds dedicated to the Gateway Cities subregion for the I-710/LB-ELA Corridor that will leverage an additional $3.2 billion in regional, state, and federal discretionary grant funding to provide a $4 billion boost to improving the Corridor’s multimodal, shared use transportation system.
The CMIP invests the $743 million from Measures R and M in four ways:
• $409 million for priority projects receiving initial investment to advance toward implementation.
• $254 million for modal programs that will develop future Corridor funding priorities, allowing the CMIP to be a “living document”.
• $40 million in a Community Programs Catalyst Fund to launch 15 Community Programs that will identify opportunities to bring non-transportation funding into the Corridor to complement the CMIP’s transportation investments.
• $40 million in the Strategic Technical Assistance for Reparative Transportation Uplifting People Fund, or START-UP Fund.
The projects and programs funded by the CMIP will support an array of long-awaited benefits for Corridor communities and the transportation system users, including but not limited to:
• Faster bus service on priority transit corridors.
• Improved transit system access in the form of bus shelters, curb improvements, and first/last mile investments.
• Zero-emission technology for trucks, trains, buses, and automobiles to advance the LB-ELA Corridor to becoming a ZE Corridor of the future.
• Protected bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways.
• Multimodal complete streets on key LB-ELA arterial roadways.
• Safer access to I-710 for residents getting on and off the freeway at local interchanges.
• Reconnecting LB-ELA Corridor communities by improving bridges crossing over I-710 and the LA River with multimodal improvements and reducing safety conflicts.
• Air quality, environmental, and public health investments, including reducing non-tailpipe generation of particulate matter, urban greening and tree canopies, reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) and urban heat island effects (UHIE), and a community health benefits program co-designed with community input.
• Supporting the replacement for Shoemaker Bridge connecting I-710 into downtown Long Beach.
• Regional active transportation gap closures
• Technical assistance for under-resourced communities
Collectively, these projects-when implemented-are estimated to generate a broad level of benefits for residents in Corridor communities, including:
• Creating 48,000 new jobs
• Reducing fatal injury collisions by 6-10%, resulting in the prevention of eight fatalities and 88 serious injuries per year.
• Increasing transit ridership by 5-10% daily
• Increasing bicycle trips by 10-15%
• Reducing vehicle hours of delay by 5-10% for faster travel
• Decreasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 1-2% so fewer cars are on the road
Reducing GHG annually by approximately 250,000 metric tons, resulting in a cooler climate and fewer particulate matter emissions by 2,500,000 grams annually, making the air cleaner and healthier for communities.
To achieve these benefits, the CMIP must attract significant federal, state, and regional discretionary grant funding to leverage the Measure R and M funding allocated to projects and programs. With the Board’s leadership and support, Metro has already experienced success in elevating Corridor projects to receive grant funding through the Pre-Investment Plan Opportunity (PIPO) program, which nominated four projects to seek grant funding ahead of the CMIP adoption. All four PIPO projects have now successfully received awards totaling $56.56 million, auguring well for the competitiveness of CMIP projects in future grant funding cycles:
• Huntington Park - Safe Routes for Seniors and Students
o $4.26 million: CTC’s Active Transportation Program
• Metro - Southeast LA Transit Improvements Project
o $14.50 million: CTC’s Local Partnership Program-Competitive
• Metro - I-710 Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Project
o $27.84 million: CTC’s Trade Corridor Enhancement Program
• Metro - Humphreys Avenue I-710 Bicycle / Pedestrian Overpass Project
o $9.96 million: USDOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods
In total, projects from all modes in the CMIP Study Area have received $1.095 billion in grant funding across federal, state, and regional programs since the CMIP process launched in September 2021 (Attachment D).
Structure of the CMIP
Approximately $743 million in Measure R and M funds is available from the prior I-710 South Corridor Project for reprogramming by the Board in the multimodal projects and programs recommended through the CMIP. Of this funding, $243 million remains from Measure R funds for the I-710 South Corridor Project, augmented by $500 million in Measure M funds for the Corridor, to become available for project implementation in two time periods: $250 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and $250 million in FY 2032.
Recognizing the timing and availability of these funds, the CMIP recommends initial investments in projects and programs that need near-term support for development, pre-implementation, and implementation stages, longer-term support for future implementation, or additional evaluation in Modal Programs to determine programming of unallocated funds reserved for future priorities. Attachment B provides an overview of the CMIP’s recommendation for how the $743 million will be programmed among key investment priorities, as follows:
Air Quality and Public Health
In the evaluation process that helped determine priorities for investment in the CMIP, the CLC and Task Force approved a set of 82 evaluation criteria that allowed staff to evaluate candidate projects against quantitative and qualitative criteria derived from and intended to advance the Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles. Of these evaluation criteria, 22 were associated with project health outcomes that included Exposure to Health Impact Pollutants, Conditions for Physical Activity, Conditions for Roadway Safety, Exposure to Extreme Heat, and Access to Healthcare, Healthy Food, and Opportunities. A full summary of health considerations in the LB-ELA Corridor Plan Evaluation Criteria can be found in Attachment E.
The CMIP has many projects that support a greater level of health for the LB-ELA Corridor communities. The Investment Plan allocates funding for the infrastructure needed to accelerate the conversion of heavy-duty diesel trucks to Zero-Emission trucks and to support the transition of the Alameda Corridor to an at-capacity, ZE facility drawing trucks off the road through cargo modal shift. The CMIP funds a Particulate Matter Reduction Pilot Program that aims to reduce the amount of particulate matter generated through road wear-and-tear, brake and tire dust, and other non-tailpipe sources from trucks and vehicles operating on I-710. The Investment Plan funds more walkable and bikeable communities with investments in active transportation pathways, connectivity to the LA River bike path, protected and separated pedestrian/bicycle freeway crossings and routes, improved transit operations, and reduction of accidents and conflicts for trucks and cars on the freeway access ramps and for vehicles and pedestrians at key crosswalk conflict points on the local interchange bridges crossing the freeway. Complete Streets corridors will have opportunities to include urban greening, enhanced tree canopies, new or expanded parks, and other health-focused amenities. An equity-targeted bus stop program will place or upgrade bus shelters and shade for areas with the greatest need for both to help combat the urban heat island effect, along with safety features to help passengers access the bus stop more comfortably.
In addition to these transportation investments, the CMIP will also address further the interrelated issues of air quality, public health, and the environment through the Community Programs catalyzed by $40 million in seed investment. Metro is proposing to form a Working Group to develop projects, priorities, and funding strategies for seven Community Programs:
• Bus Electrification Projects
• LB-ELA Corridor Community Health Benefit Program
• Zero-Emission Infrastructure for Autos
• Air Quality Monitoring Stations
• LB-ELA Corridor Energy Reduction/Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Program
• LB-ELA Corridor “Urban Greening” Initiative
• Public Art/Aesthetics
These Community Programs will yield complementary and connected investments in community health, safety, air quality, and environmental needs as part of the benefits provided through the CMIP.
Goods Movement
The nation’s most important freight corridor runs between Long Beach and East Los Angeles, connecting the Western Hemisphere’s busiest seaport complex-the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles-with transcontinental rail terminals near Downtown Los Angeles.
The CMIP recommends the investment of $80 million to support two vital goods movement-related goals: (1) accelerating the transition of heavy-duty trucks and train locomotives from diesel to zero-emission technology and (2) supporting the movement of more cargo by train over truck through the region to help reduce the impacts on I-710. Central to this strategy is the Board-approved investment (Attachment F) of $50 million in seed funding for the LB-ELA Corridor Zero-Emission (ZE) Truck Program, which is expected to generate $200 million in infrastructure and related projects and programs to accelerate the transition of heavy-duty trucks operating in the Corridor from diesel to ZE technology. The CMIP holds as a key strategy making the LB-ELA Corridor a ZE Freight Corridor, including the freight rail operations on the Alameda Corridor and potential inductive charging opportunities to support the ZE Truck Program.
I-710 MOSAIC Program: Safety and Interchange Improvements
The CMIP proposes investing $210 million in the freeway-related safety and multimodal improvements, anchored by the I-710 Multimodal, Operational, Safety, and Access Investments for the Community (MOSAIC) Program, which will provide a community-focused approach to investing in the I-710 freeway facility while also providing regional benefits for the tens of thousands of vehicles and trucks that operate on the freeway daily.
In contrast to the prior I-710 South Corridor Project, this freeway-related investment proposal will not widen I-710, add new lanes of general-purpose or high-occupancy vehicle traffic, or displace residences in communities adjacent to the freeway.
The I-710 MOSAIC Program will focus investment on multimodal improvements for freeway interchanges and overcrossings, safety and operational improvements focused on the freeway on- and off-ramps and connectors, technology to create safety, efficiency, and pollution reduction outcomes, and mitigations for community benefit.
Through this investment approach, the CMIP will reconnect LB-ELA communities separated by I-710 and the LA River with safer bridge and overcrossing infrastructure that will allow for better and safer multimodal (bus, bicycle, and pedestrian) crossings over the freeway and access to the LA River (LARIO) Trail. This investment will also improve the daily experience for community members and other travelers accessing I-710 by improving the safety and design of on-ramps, off-ramps, connectors, and transition zones that move cars and trucks between local roadways and the freeway mainline.
To ensure accountability, the 14 MOSAIC projects under consideration will undergo an Alternatives Analysis evaluation to screen for community impacts and benefits and prioritize project concepts for the next phase-environmental review (CEQA/NEPA). Following the CEQA/NEPA phase, projects will then be prioritized for consideration to receive implementation funding upon Board approval.
The CMIP also identifies funding to plan for reducing particulate matter generated on I-710 through non-tailpipe sources and support future pilot projects that will mitigate the impact of freeway operations on the public health of the LB-ELA Corridor communities.
Arterial Roadways / Complete Streets
Improving arterial roadways in the LB-ELA Corridor will serve many important purposes to local communities and the regional transportation system. These roadways carry buses, personal vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, delivery vans, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Oftentimes, these different uses conflict with one another, creating safety, reliability, and mobility concerns that disincentivize the use of transit and active transportation to create more livable communities.
Recognizing the importance of improving the multimodal usage and safety of these roadways, the CMIP recommends $188 million in funding to (1) implement or develop five complete street programs along priority arterial roadways that stretch north/south and east/west through the LB-ELA Corridor: Atlantic Boulevard, Alondra Boulevard, Florence, Long Beach Boulevard, and Slauson Avenue; and (2) fund a request from the Gateway Cities Council of Governments’ I-710 Technical Advisory Committee to complete design work for the Shoemaker Bridge/Shoreline Drive Project to support a collaborative effort to secure regional and state discretionary grant funding to deliver that project. This overall recommendation also includes funding reserved for the Arterial Roadway / Complete Streets modal program to develop and implement future projects and programs that meet the Vision and Goals of the Investment Plan.
Transit
The CMIP recommends investing $125 million in improving bus service, first-last mile connections, transit user experience, and transit-related safety improvements in the LB-ELA Corridor. Thirty-one million is recommended as seed funding to plan, prioritize, develop, and implement bus priority treatments on eight key multi-jurisdictional transit corridors: Atlantic Boulevard, Florence Avenue, Long Beach Boulevard, Slauson Avenue, Whittier Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Gage Boulevard, and Firestone Boulevard. Nineteen million is recommended to leverage funding for targeted investments in bus stop-related infrastructure in communities of high need, including shelters, curb improvements, ADA access, safer crosswalks, signage, technology, and other needs.
Through this Transit program, the CMIP will seek to improve transit access and service in the LB-ELA Corridor by focusing on seamless, integrated, equity-focused, safety-supporting, and customer experience-enhancing investments.
Active Transportation
The CMIP recommends the investment of $100 million to advance priority active transportation programs that fill gaps, connect transportation systems through first/last mile connections, priority for protected (Class IV) bike paths, and developing projects in communities without active transportation investment to connect them into the larger system. Project priorities include A Line First/Last Mile Plan Improvements, Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor Segment B, regionally significant bike projects from the Metro Active Transportation Plan, and the Southeast Gateway LRT Bike & Pedestrian Trail.
Community Programs
The LB-ELA CMIP includes 15 Community Programs identified and prioritized by community members, the CLC, and the Task Force to complement transportation investments and improve the quality of life for residents in the LB-ELA Corridor. This recommendation serves as a hallmark of the CMIP’s focus on equity as a Guiding Principle that informed the Investment Plan's process, influenced its outcome, and served as a focused approach to achieving the Goals of the CMIP.
These 15 Community Programs (Attachment G, Slide 6) address important community quality-of-life issues that are not all directly eligible for the use of Measure R and M funds programmed in the CMIP. To support the LB-ELA Corridor communities, the CMIP recommends investing $40 million as frontloaded catalyst funding to develop and support the 15 Community Programs by organizing three working groups (as described in Chapter 9 of the CMIP) that will convene stakeholders and relevant expertise, develop and evaluate projects and programs, identify appropriate local, state, and federal funding sources, and support the implementation of these projects and programs in a manner consistent with the Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles of the CMIP. Projects and programs that create an appropriate transportation nexus will be considered in the relevant modal program.
The three working groups will connect related Community Programs by topic area: Air Quality/Public Health/Environment, Housing Stabilization/Land Use, and Job Creation/Work Opportunities. These groups are open to the Task Force, CLC, community members, representatives from agencies and stakeholder groups with relevant expertise and standing in each respective field.
Modal Programs
In addition to identifying projects and programs for initial funding, the Investment Plan also looks to the future of the LB-ELA Corridor by planning, developing, identifying, and refining projects, programs, and strategic initiatives that will advance the Corridor’s Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles into future years. Modal Programs will allow the Investment Plan to be a flexible, dynamic, living document that addresses future priorities and needs as they evolve. These programs will be developed by Modal Working Groups that will convene Task Force, CLC, community, and stakeholder participants to work through and define future priorities for CMIP or external funding (see Chapter 9).
Several cities and communities, particularly those without implementation-ready projects for investment consideration, also need technical assistance to support this work in their respective communities and ensure equitable investments throughout the Corridor. Modal Programs will serve as the mechanism by which these ongoing planning and development activities lead to implementation following the adoption of the Investment Plan.
The Investment Plan features five Modal Programs, in addition to the Community Programs, including active transportation, arterial roadways/complete streets, freeway safety and interchange improvements, goods movement, and transit. Metro, its community partners, and relevant stakeholders will need to collaborate to advance the projects in the Modal Programs toward their implementation, furthering the goals of the Investment Plan. Investment Plan elements that will be included in Modal Programs include the following:
• Near-term Tier 1 projects not selected for immediate funding;
• Longer-term Tier 1 projects that require additional development to become implementation-ready;
• Tier 2 projects that will need additional development and refinement to become more aligned with the Investment Plan Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles to be considered for implementation in the future;
• Equitable project planning to identify equity gaps, provide technical assistance for lower-resourced communities, and develop projects for future implementation; and
• Pilot programs, strategic initiatives, and planning studies.
The Investment Plan will reserve funding in each Modal Program to carry out these planning and development activities and implement certain projects that develop from these activities. This includes some projects that were ranked highly in the evaluation process but were identified as not being ready for initial funding under the plan. In addition, the Modal Program funding may be used to advance other partially funded projects with a slight funding gap or those put forward by Metro and partners for grant applications that did not receive external funding.
Technical Assistance: The START-UP Fund
One of the equity-related concerns raised by stakeholders is the fact that for communities with lower resources or a lack of available technical expertise to proactively address historical inequities and cumulative impacts, developing a pipeline of projects to be considered for grant programs is more difficult than it is for other, better-resourced communities in the LB-ELA Corridor and LA County.
To address this equity issue, the CMIP includes the START-UP (Strategic Technical Assistance for Reparative Transportation Uplifting People) Fund to support communities with the highest needs relative to their technical resources and capacity to develop and implement transportation projects. The START-UP Fund is envisioned in the CMIP as a targeted technical assistance program that will utilize equity criteria, such as the need for repairing past harms as identified by the concentration of Equity Focus Communities, to identify transportation planning gaps and support the ongoing commitment to centering community needs in developing additional transformative projects in the Corridor.
The creation of the START-UP Fund is a direct outcome of the Equity Guiding Principle that guided the development of the CMIP and reflects community input received from the CLC and Task Force members. Recognizing that one of the equity outcomes for the Investment Plan is to help communities left behind in transportation planning and project development a chance to catch up, the START-UP Fund provides those communities a source of reparative investment to be competitive for future investment opportunities. The CMIP features the START-UP Fund in Chapter 8, Section 6 (8.6) and recommends investing $40 million in the program.
Alignment with the California State Transportation Agency’s Core Four Priorities
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has adopted Safety, Equity, Climate Action, and Economic Prosperity as its four principles-the Core Four priorities-that guide the agency in delivering the services, programs, and support every Californian needs to succeed and thrive. The Core Four priorities speak to the complexity of needs, burdens, and challenges found in California and drive innovative, comprehensive, and aligned planning, policy, and funding recommendations to address, advance, and enhance these four priority policy areas.
Nowhere in California is the need for the Core Four priorities more evident than in the LB-ELA Corridor. It is no coincidence that the Core Four priorities are reflected in the funding recommendations (Attachment B) for the LB-ELA CMIP as the Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles for the Corridor elevate the Goals of Safety, Environment, Air Quality, and Economic Prosperity and the Guiding Principle of Equity (Attachment G, Slide 5).
The CMIP’s alignment with and advancement of the Core Four priorities positions the Investment Plan and its projects in an advantageous position to receive state support and compete for state discretionary grant funding (Attachment H).
Alternative 5C “No Build” Process and Environmental Review of CMIP Projects
The I-710 South Corridor Project Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement now carries forward the “No Build” preferred alternative of No-Action approved by the Board. The Final Environmental Document is expected to be signed by Caltrans District 7 in mid-2024
The Board decision to replace Alternative 5C with Alternative 1 (“No Build”) as the LPA for the I-710 South Corridor Project also means that the projects identified for development and funding in the LB-ELA CMIP will need to complete the appropriate environmental review process (CEQA/NEPA) independent of the I-710 South Corridor “No Build” Project. Staff will report back on the progress of CMIP Projects and request Board approval before implementation to ensure alignment with the values of the CMIP.
Contrast with Alternative 5C: No Widening and No Displacement
The now defunct Alternative 5C featured the widening of I-710 to accommodate 26 new miles of general-purpose and truck lanes and re-designed freeway-to-freeway interchanges at the expense of over hundreds of residents displaced, Metro is pleased to affirm that the LB-ELA CMIP does not recommend for funding or prioritization any projects or programs that widen the freeway or have any known residential displacement impacts.
In response to Board policy parameters-and consistent community input-staff eliminated from consideration for CMIP evaluation, prioritization, or funding projects that would widen the freeway right-of-way, add new general-purpose or high-occupancy lanes, or likely cause residential displacements. Metro remains committed to ensuring these Board policies remain intact through the implementation of the Investment Plan.
CMIP: Community-centered Multimodal Integrated Planning
The CMIP was developed centering the engagement of communities that have been historically harmed and disproportionately impacted by policy decisions and infrastructure impacts associated with the construction and operation of I-710 as the nation’s most significant freight corridor. The CMIP community engagement process included dozens of in-person and virtual public forums that were conducted in multiple languages (Spanish, Tagalog, Khmer) with real-time translation. Food was provided at in-person meetings and CLC members were paid for their participation in accordance with Metro’s Advisory Body Compensation Policy. Public comment was solicited at all meetings at every stage of the process, with some opportunities for deeper community conversations, in alignment with the Board’s direction to re-engage impacted communities in an innovative and comprehensive approach.
Importantly, the CMIP does not recommend investing in projects or programs that widen I-710, add additional general-purpose travel lanes on I-710, or are known to cause residential displacement along I-710. This outcome reflects community input received during the CMIP process, aligns with the Corridor’s Vision, Goals, and Guiding Principles, advances Board policy, and supports state and federal guidance for freeway investment.
The CMIP as a Qualifying CMCP
A potential funding source for projects identified in the CMIP is the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP), administered by the CTC. The SCCP provides grant funding to construct improvements and multimodal alternatives to the state’s highly traveled, highly congested corridors.
The CMIP was developed to qualify the I-710/LB-ELA Corridor for SCCP funding. The CMIP meets and exceeds the Streets and Highways Code's statutory requirements for a qualifying CMCP, making all projects identified within the Investment Plan eligible for consideration under the SCCP guidelines.
Approval of the CMIP serves as a qualifying Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan (CMCP), a requirement for pursuing SCCP Cycle 4 funds (and potentially other discretionary grant programs) anticipated in early Summer of 2024 to support successful implementation of critical corridor improvements.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
. The Investment Plan was built to address several important goals, including safety for all users of the Corridor’s transportation system, and evaluated projects across several safety-focused metrics to support the Task Force’s prioritization of projects and programs for Board consideration.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The LB-ELA CMIP is a strategic plan that identifies priority projects and programs to invest Measure R and M funding dedicated to the I-710/LB-ELA Corridor. Adoption of the LB-ELA CMIP and its recommendations would allow the agency to program and allocate the $743 million for this project in future years and leverage those funds by an estimated additional $3.2 billion to support Metro’s transportation priorities in the LB-ELA Corridor.
Impact to Budget
The Measure R and M fund sources identified are not eligible for bus and rail operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The LB-ELA CMIP is in many ways an early opportunity for Metro to put Equity in Action by developing a major, comprehensive multimodal corridor planning effort in which to establish principles of the Equity Platform, pilot the Equity Planning Evaluation Tool (EPET), create a Guiding Principle of Equity and a compatible Vision and Goals), and develop and operate a Community Leadership Committee to ground-truth policy and funding recommendations with residents living adjacent to and impacted by I-710 daily. By doing so the CMIP offered Metro an unprecedented opportunity to center investment on communities and focus on equitable outcomes, as exemplified by the START-UP Fund and Community Programs Catalyst Fund.
Several of Metro’s equity tools were used throughout the development of the CMIP to further demonstrate and actualize equity commitments:
• The Advisory Body Compensation Policy created the conditions for the sustained participation of 28 members in the CLC over the past two-plus years. These members have been paid a total of $143,850 through March 30, 2024.
• The Community Based Organization Partnering Strategy bolstered engagement at critical public outreach phases (Attachment I).
• The Equity Planning and Evaluation Tool (Attachment J), piloted in this process and integrated into the Equity Working Group proceedings, served as a guiding tool for the process, particularly in the consideration of equity in existing conditions analysis, evaluation criteria and methodologies, and connection of project outcomes to community results.
With Board approval of the CMIP, staff will continue to engage stakeholders in the implementation of the Investment Plan through the Community Program Working Groups, Modal Working Groups, and ongoing public outreach.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Development of the multimodal, multiyear LB-ELA Investment Plan is a product of collaboration among the LB-ELA Corridor communities impacted residents, Caltrans District 7, the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, and stakeholders through Task Force meetings, attendant committees, and public outreach forums. The process and the outcome of the Task Force implemented three key Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan Goals:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time
traveling
Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity
Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration and national leadership
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could elect not to approve the Final LB-ELA CMIP. Staff does not recommend this action as adoption of the CMIP will allow staff to invest $743 million in remaining Measure R and M funds for the 710/LB-ELA Corridor in an array of multimodal projects and programs aligned with Board direction and policy.
The Board could also elect to modify the recommendations presented. Staff does not recommend this action as the entire package of projects and programs recommended through the CMIP process was carefully calibrated to gain consensus from local communities and corridor stakeholders as a meaningful multimodal approach to investment in the LB-ELA Corridor.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval of the LB-ELA CMIP, staff will coordinate with communities, stakeholders, and sponsor agencies to convene Working Groups to advance the projects and programs prioritized for funding, including community programs, and determine project leads and next steps.
Staff will bring timely recommendations for funding approval to support the development or implementation of CMIP projects and programs.
Staff will convene follow-up meetings with the Task Force and CLC every six months to provide an update on implementing the LB-ELA CMIP.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Long Beach-East Los Angeles Corridor Mobility Investment Plan
Attachment B - LB-ELA CMIP Funding Recommendations
Attachment C - Public Review Comment Log
Attachment D - Summary of Grants Awarded to LB-ELA Corridor since September 2021
Attachment E - Summary of Health Considerations in the CMIP Evaluation Process
Attachment F - October 2021 Motion by Directors Hahn and Dutra
Attachment G - PowerPoint slide deck
Attachment H - CMIP Alignment with CalSTA’s Core Four Priorities
Attachment I - Community Based Organization Partnering Strategy
Attachment J - Equity Planning and Evaluation Tool
Attachment K - Letters of Support for the LB-ELA CMIP
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Michael Cano, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 418-3010
KeAndra Cylear Dodds, Executive Officer, Equity and Race (213) 922-4850
Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 547-4317
Allison Yoh, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-4812
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 422-7399
