..Meeting_Body
CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
MAY 20, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: CHATSWORTH STATION ADA IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to increase the Life-of-Project (LOP) budget by $1,645,350, from $7,354,650 to $9,000,000 for the Chatsworth Station ADA Improvement Project, which includes allowance for increased Metrolink Platform 2 work.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is required to complete necessary Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to the Metrolink Chatsworth Station (Project) by August 2026. The next milestone in meeting the Project completion date is completing construction. Increasing the Life-of-Project (LOP) budget for the Project is required to execute and complete the construction in 2026. This increase covers additional costs associated with construction schedule extensions and delays, expanded construction scope, and additional consultant support services.
Background
BACKGROUND
The ADA is a civil rights law, passed in 1990, that prohibits discrimination based on disability. The Metrolink Chatsworth Station opened in 1992 and serves Amtrak trains along the Pacific Surfliner as well as Metrolink trains along the Ventura County Line. A compliance assessment initiated by the federal government found existing conditions within the Metrolink Chatsworth Station that did not meet all requirements as codified in the October 1, 2006, edition of the Code of Federal Regulations, which are based on the 1991 ADA Standards. As the majority owner of the Chatsworth Transportation Center (Center), Metro signed a settlement agreement (Agreement) with the federal government in 2021 to make the necessary ADA improvements.
All ADA remediations need to be completed by August 1, 2026, per the Agreement and revised end date. Remediations within the station building interior fall outside of Metro’s responsibilities and are excluded from the settlement agreement and the Project scope.
The Chatsworth Station ADA Improvement Project was proposed through Metro’s Annual Capital Call in the fall of 2018, and its $4.0 million initial LOP was approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Budget approved at the May 2019 Board meeting.
The LOP budget was increased by $3,354,650 to $7,354,650 at the November 2024 Board Meeting.
Project design was completed in July 2024 under AE56750004 Task Order 5. The Construction Contract No. C125446C1234 was awarded and Notice to Proceed was issued on February 28, 2025. Since then, the contractor has completed ramp, sidewalk and parking lot improvements in Parking Lots A and B, G Line Platform and Depot Plaza area.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Since the December 2024 Board approval, several factors, such as delayed start of the Contractor’s work and additional scope due to platform 2 deterioration, have impacted the Project’s cost and schedule. This requested LOP increase will provide sufficient funding for these additional costs and allow Metro to complete the remaining Project work and additional work on Metrolink Platform 2.
In December 2025, Metrolink notified Metro that Chatsworth Platform 2 would be taken out of service due to degraded tactile tiles and associated tripping hazards. An expansion of the scope of work on Platform 2 is needed to remedy the deterioration of the platform that occurred after the original ADA audit. Correcting the underlying structural deficiency was not part of this original project scope. Metro has included this increase in work scope in the project forecast and will perform the work pending approval of the LOP.
The proposed LOP increase is required for the following reasons:
• Metro Labor: The current LOP was based on completing all project work by August 2025, versus the current forecast completion in August 2026. The project schedule was impacted by delays in work plan approvals, additional submittal reviews, and changes to work scope. Agency staffing is needed for a longer duration than planned. Additionally, the 2024 estimate of agency cost was below staffing levels needed for this work, as indicated by actual costs incurred to date.
• Professional Services - Design: Additional support by the consultant designer of record is required during construction to respond to differing field conditions, manage scope changes, and support the extended construction duration.
• Construction Costs: The revised LOP includes contract modifications that were required to complete the work, including drainage modifications, Metrolink flagging services billed through the contractor, closure of Metrolink Platform 2, investigation of differing site conditions, expansion of the Metrolink Platform 2 work limits, and obtaining temporary construction access by Right of Entry to reduce conflicts with the active rail tracks.
• Construction Support Services: Additional consultant construction management services are required to support the extended construction duration, respond to field conditions, and manage scope changes.
• Contingency: Based on the expenditures to date, the contingency must be replenished to an appropriate level per the current forecast.
This proposed LOP is built from the bottom up with soft costs included, as shown in Attachment A - Funding/Expenditure Plan.
The requested LOP increase will provide sufficient funding to address these additional costs and ensure that Metro can complete the remaining Project work, including the additional repairs to Platform 2.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The Project enhances safety for all passengers by adding accessible features, including ramps and tactile paving. The station becomes safer and easier to navigate, which results in reducing the risk of falls and injuries. Clear signage and accessible emergency exits enable safe evacuation, while upgrades to boarding areas and audible and visual alerts make it easier for everyone, including wheelchair users and those with strollers, to navigate confidently.
Additionally, the Project will be constructed consistent with Metro’s construction safety standards. This Board action will not impact established safety standards for Metro’s construction projects.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Board approval will increase the Project number 202337 Life-of-Project (LOP) budget by $1,645,350 to fund additional construction costs, consultant services, real estate costs, and project support services required to complete the Chatsworth Station ADA Improvement Project.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Chief Program Management Officer, Program Management will be accountable for budgeting the costs in future years.
Impact to Budget
The source for funding the additional $1,645,350 is Proposition C 10% which is eligible for commuter rail, transit centers and park & ride expenditures. This source is not eligible for Metro’s bus or rail operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The station is a key transfer point for workers and students from nearby Equity Focus Communities (EFC) who use Metro, Metrolink, and/or Amtrak. Along the Metro G Line, just south of the Chatsworth Station, there are EFC communities designated as “very high need” according to the Metro Equity Need Index (MENI). These communities are comprised of 68% low-income households, 20% households with no access to a car, and up to 82% Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color residents. The improvements will enhance the user experience and expand accessible travel options by upgrading boarding platforms, waiting areas and the paths of travel between bus stop and rail platforms.
The purpose of the Project is to comply with a settlement between Metro and the federal government to remedy all current non-compliant accessibility features per the ADA Accessibility Standards at Chatsworth Station within Metro’s responsibility. The Project includes improvements such as removing and replacing sidewalks, parking lot and platform surface rehabilitations, and signage to bring the Chatsworth Station into compliance. Metro staff will conduct a survey with riders with disabilities to provide their input before the project certifications of compliance are completed.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled _Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the Southern California Association of Governments (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 support further reductions in VMT. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through investment and planning 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.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The Project will make the Chatsworth Station readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. The Project supports Vision 2028 Strategic Goals:
• Goal 2: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system.
• Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity.
The Project is being designed and constructed in close coordination with the community, Metrolink, the City of Los Angeles, and third-party stakeholders, as well as internal stakeholders within Metro, to streamline Metro’s systems and processes for efficient operations.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The alternative would be not to approve the recommended staff action to increase the LOP and instead to reduce the scope of construction to stay within the previously approved LOP. This is not recommended since these changes are necessary to enhance accessibility at the station and to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval of the requested LOP increase, staff will continue construction activities and project support services required to complete the Chatsworth Station ADA Improvement Project.
Attachment
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A - Funding/Expenditure Plan
Prepared by
Prepared by: Laura J. Mohr, Deputy Executive Officer, (323) 900-2116
Kavita Mehta, Executive Officer, Regional Rail, (213) 435-5047
Sameh Ghaly, Deputy Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 418-3369
Carolina Coppolo, Deputy Chief, Vendor/Contract Management (213) 922-4471
Reviewed By
Reviewed by: Timothy Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7297
