Meeting_Body
CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
JULY 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: DORAN STREET & BROADWAY/BRAZIL GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to award a cost-plus fixed fee Contract No. AE137794MC086 for Construction Management Support Services (CMSS) to Zephyr UAS, Inc., dba Zephyr Rail, for a base term of four years in an amount Not-To-Exceed (NTE) $5,994,149, plus a one-year option in an amount NTE $280,178, for a total of $6,274,327; subject to the resolution of any properly submitted protest(s).
Issue
ISSUE
The Doran Street Grade Separation Project has completed final design plans and is in procurement for the construction of Segment 1 - City of Glendale portion of the project. A phased and segmented procurement strategy is being implemented to meet regulatory, environmental, right-of-way, and third-party coordination requirements. Staff recommends Board approval of the CMSS contract, which would support and oversee both segments of the Project, and includes all third-party and soft costs.
Awarding the CMSS contract is critical to provide the support required in managing the completion of this construction project and to satisfy expenditure requirements of the State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) funds.
Background
BACKGROUND
The Doran Street Grade Separation Project serves a critical rail corridor utilized by Metrolink, Amtrak, Union Pacific, and future operations of the California High-Speed Rail. The project will construct a new vehicle bridge extending from West San Fernando Road in the City of Glendale, passing underneath State Route 134, and connecting to the existing Fairmont Avenue Bridge.
At its May 2011 meeting, the Board authorized $6.6 million for improving the safety of the intersection of Doran Street and the Metro-owned right-of-way. At its January 2017 meeting, the Board advanced the Doran Street and Broadway/Brazil Grade Separation Project that proposed the elimination of two at-grade rail crossings at the Doran Street and Broadway/Brazil Street intersections to alleviate traffic delay and congestion, reduce train horn noise and improve vehicle and pedestrian safety and mobility. At its January 2021 meeting, the Board approved the advancement of the Doran Street Grade Separation Project and authorized advancement of final design and project development.
In 2015 (SB 348), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) identified the Doran Street at-grade crossing as one of the most unsafe rail crossings in California. With 18 recorded pedestrian and vehicular incidents since 1976, the CPUC had an initial ruling that Doran Street should convert to a one-way westbound movement until the at-grade crossing can be closed permanently when the grade separation is built. In 2014, the Broadway/Brazil crossing improvements were completed to provide the first safety enhancements for the project area. Due to the West San Fernando Road and Broadway/Brazil Street signalized intersection changing from stop control to a signalized configuration, the crossing experienced significant traffic congestion and a high volume of complaints from the public and business owners. Due to this congestion and associated safety issues, CPUC has required the closure of this crossing and to provide an alternate access to the affected public and business owners.
Environmental clearance for the Project has been completed. The Project received a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Notice of Exemption in 2019 and a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion determination from the FRA in 2025.
Metro issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. AE137794MC086 for Construction Management Support Services (CMSS) to support the construction phase of the Project. The CMSS consultant will provide construction management, inspection, support to contract administration, scheduling, document control, stakeholder coordination, and construction closeout support services necessary for project delivery.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Doran Street Grade Separation Project addresses one of the most heavily trafficked and high-risk rail crossings in the region, where frequent train movements create conflicts with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. The Project will eliminate the existing at-grade crossing and replace it with a grade-separated vehicle bridge, improving safety, reducing traffic delays, and enhancing rail operations and reliability. Key components of the Project include construction of a grade-separated crossing, new roadway alignments, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and coordination with regional rail operators.
The Project is being delivered using a Design-Bid-Build approach and is currently advancing through PS&E and Right-of-Way acquisition. To maintain project momentum and address differences in jurisdictional readiness, construction will be implemented in two segments:
• Segment 1, within the City of Glendale, is further advanced and will proceed to construction first.
• Segment 2 within the City of Los Angeles is expected to be advertised for construction in Fall 2026.
Metro received proposals in January 2026 and is recommending the award of the CMSS contract. Staff recommends using CMSS for the construction phase of the Project as it enables Metro to engage a consultant team to support construction management, field inspection, contract administration, stakeholder coordination, scheduling, and document control activities necessary to deliver the Project.
The CMSS consultant will support the implementation of the phased construction delivery strategy for Segments 1 and 2 of the Project and assist Metro in maintaining the Project schedule and supporting compliance with the TIRCP funding deadline of June 30, 2027.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The Doran Street at-grade railroad crossing has a documented and longstanding history of serious safety incidents that establishes a clear and compelling need for grade separation. Since 1976, the crossing has experienced 18 train-vehicle or train-pedestrian collisions, resulting in five fatalities and at least one serious injury, prompting formal safety hearings and arbitrations by the CPUC. The crossing carries approximately 90 passenger and freight trains per day, including Metrolink commuter rail, Amtrak intercity service, and heavy freight traffic, a level of rail activity that the CPUC has consistently identified as presenting elevated and unacceptable risk for roadway users and pedestrians. Based on this collision history and operational context, the CPUC has repeatedly classified Doran Street as a high-risk and hazardous crossing where continued at-grade operation poses ongoing safety concerns. CPUC Order Instituting Investigation on the Commission's Own Motion into Closure of the Highway-Rail At-Grade Crossing at West Doran.
The CPUC has further determined that interim safety measures are insufficient to address the long-term risks at the Doran Street crossing and has directed Metro to advance permanent grade separation as the sole effective safety remedy. Through multiple decisions and enforcement actions, including Resolution TED-300 and Decision 19-01-008, the CPUC has conditioned continued interim operations on demonstrated progress toward ultimate closure of the at-grade crossing, most recently granting a time extension in January 2024 only after full construction funding was secured. The project also addresses broader regional and statewide rail safety objectives, as the corridor is expected to support increased passenger rail service and future high-speed rail operations, which are incompatible with at-grade roadway crossings. Accordingly, the Doran Street Grade Separation Project is necessary to comply with CPUC safety directives, eliminate a known collision hazard, and protect roadway users, pedestrians, and rail passengers both now and as rail service expands in the future.
Approval of this item advances the elimination of an at-grade crossing, directly reducing the potential for rail-related incidents and improving response times for emergency services. The Doran Street Grade Separation project is being designed in accordance with Metro and SCRRA standards, state and federal requirements, and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Doran Street Grade Separation Project is funded with local, state and federal grants. These sources include $33.12 million in Federal Railroad Administration Railroad Crossing Elimination Program funds, and $21.3 million in State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funds.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Chief Program Management Officer will be accountable for budgeting the costs in future years.
Impact to Budget
The Project is funded through dedicated local, state, and federal capital funding sources that are restricted to eligible project expenditures and are not available for Metro bus or rail operating purposes. This board action for the CMSS contract will be funded by the state TIRCP grant and is programmed into the FY27 budget.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Doran Grade Separation Project is located at the Doran street and Broadway/Brazil street crossings at the boundary of the City of Glendale and the City of Los Angeles (Atwater Village area) and directly serves Equity Focus Communities (EFC) designated as “moderate need” under the Metro Equity Need Index (MENI). The surrounding communities to the south, southeast, and north of the project area include approximately 68% low-income households, 20% households with no access to a vehicle, and up to 82% Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) residents.
By eliminating the at-grade crossing, the project will benefit communities in the Cities of Glendale and Los Angeles by improving safety, mobility, and access across a heavily utilized rail corridor.
The Doran Street Grade Separation project operates on Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line and the Project will serve a critical rail corridor utilized by Metrolink and Amtrak, Metrolink serves as a primary commuter rail system connecting various counties and cities, including Los Angeles The median income is $40,823 on the Antelope Valley Line and according to a 2022 Metrolink Rider Survey thirty-nine percent (39%) of all current Metrolink riders report household incomes below $50,000. The average age of Metrolink riders in 2022 has increased to 51 years. The same data show rider demographics at 38% Hispanic or Latino, 31% White, 17% Asian or Pacific Islander, 10% African American, and 4% Other.
This project will enhance accessibility in alignment with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements by acquiring right of way to construct sidewalks and ADA ramps.
The CMSS solicitation was subject to Metro’s Small Business Prime (Set-Aside) program, based on an original estimate of less than $5 million, and open to certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) firms only. Zephyr UAS, Inc., dba Zephyr Rail, a Small Business Prime, made a 79.03% SBE commitment and is performing 36.90% of the work with its own workforce.
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.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
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 will likely increase VMT in LA County, as it includes planning that encourages driving alone or increased vehicle travel by rerouting cars to longer roads and removing some pedestrian and bicycle access which therefore slightly worsen VMT. However, this project does enable some more reliability and possibly more frequent rail service in the future, which could have the effect of reducing VMT, but those improvements to rail service are not included as part of this project. Similarly, future phases of work are planned to build a ped bridge across the soon-to-be-closed west leg of the intersection and the rail crossing. This could mitigate the loss of multimodal access noted above, which could have the effect of reducing VMT, but those improvements to pedestrian access are not included as part of this project.
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.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The Project will improve safety and mobility by eliminating an at-grade rail crossing and enhancing connectivity for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. As a result, the Project supports strategic plan goals 1, 3, and 4 from Vision 2028:
Goal 1.2: Improve LA County’s overall transit network and assets;
Goal 3.3: Genuine public and community engagement to achieve better mobility outcomes for the people of LA County; and
Goal 4.1: Metro will work with partners to build trust and make decisions that support the goals of the Strategic Plan
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to award the CMSS contract. If this action is deferred, Metro would not be able to meet the period of performance grant requirements associated with the State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program Cycle 6 award funding in the amount of $21.3 million. Delays may jeopardize committed State funding and timely liquidation of the TIRCP grant by June 2027.
Given the safety concerns at the Doran Street at-grade crossing, not moving forward with this action would not allow Metro to meet CPUC requirements to pursue closure of at-grade crossing, and would fail to improve safety conditions for vehicles, pedestrians, and rail operations, and would not address ongoing traffic delays or emergency access constraints in the corridor.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval of the award of the CMSS contract, staff will complete the award and execution of the CMSS contract and initiate project support services necessary to complete the Doran Grade Separation Project. In addition, staff will:
1. Return to the Board and establish the Life of Project (LOP) budget.
2. Complete the procurement process for the construction contract for Segment 1, City of Glendale, and issue the Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Segment 2, City of Los Angeles
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by:
Kausi Amuth, Senior Director, Regional Rail, (562) 405-1289
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
