Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JANUARY 15, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: EASTSIDE PHASE 2 TRANSIT CORRIDOR PROJECT - COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER authorizing the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or her designee to:
A. EXECUTE a Cooperative Agreement (CA) with the City of Montebello for the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Project Corridor; and
B. NEGOTIATE and execute as-needed agreements with other responsible stakeholder agencies, including the cooperative agreements with corridor cities (cities of Commerce, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier) and railroad operators.
Issue
ISSUE
The execution of the Cooperative Agreement (CA) and other agreements are key steps in the delivery of the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Project (Project). The completion of this Project will require extensive design reviews, utility coordination, and various approval processes, as well as obtaining permits for construction within each responsible stakeholder agency. The City of Montebello approved the CA for this project during their city council meeting on November 13, 2024. The Board’s approval to execute the CA acknowledges a commitment for Metro, the corridor cities involved, and other responsible agencies, such as Class I railroad operators, to collaborate in advancing and implementing the Project.
Background
BACKGROUND
At its May 2024 meeting, the Board approved the full 9-mile Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Project, with a 4.7-mile Initial Operating Segment (IOS) to Greenwood Station and a Maintenance and Storage Facility in the City of Montebello and certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) of this Project. The Board had previously directed staff to reinitiate the NEPA environmental clearance process for the Initial Operating Segment (IOS) to pursue federal funding for the project’s IOS. Metro anticipates reinitiating the NEPA clearance process in early 2025. The Project is a Measure R and Measure M project that is included in the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 2020- 2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The Measure M Ordinance identifies $3 billion (2015 $) in Measure M and other local, state, and federal funding for the Project.
At its September 2024 meeting, the Board approved a contract modification to continue project design from 15% Advanced Conceptual Engineering to 30% Preliminary Engineering (PE) design for the 4.7-mile IOS to the Greenwood Station for this Project. This PE phase will advance the project design of complex components, such as twin-bored tunnels, cut and cover stations, cross passages, transition structures, a maintenance storage facility, etc. It also will include a geotechnical analysis of the underground alignment between the relocated Atlantic Station in East Los Angeles and the proposed Commerce Citadel Station in the City of Commerce and further design of conflicting utilities requiring relocation. The design review process involves the collaboration with corridor cities on the removal, replacement, restoration, alterative, reconstruction and relocation of all or a portion of city facilities to accommodate the Project and requires city participation in meetings as part of the ongoing Preliminary Engineering and through construction of the Project. Executing the CAs with the corridor cities is a key next step for the parties on the coordination process and utility relocations to ensure successful delivery of the Project and to demonstrate the level of support required by key stakeholder to pursue federal funding.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Since early 2024, Metro has been working closely with the Washington Light Rail Transit Coalition cities to advance the Project including development of the terms and provisions of the CA. Metro held various working sessions in 2024 with the city managers or key staff from the Cities of Commerce, Montebello, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier to discuss the terms of the CA and provide responses to Cities’ comments. These were followed by various individual sessions with the Cities to further address specific comments. By signing the CA, both Metro and the Cities acknowledge the ESP2 Project as a high-priority public works project, providing Metro with expedited review and approval procedures in connection with design, design reviews, permitting, property acquisition, and other authority to be exercised by the Cities. The CA defines procedures, identifies roles and responsibilities, and allocates costs between Metro and the Cities for the Cities’ portion of the ESP2 Project as it relates to design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed extension of the light rail transit line.
Following are the key components of the Cooperative Agreement with the Washington Coalition corridor cities:
• Reimbursement of costs to the Cities for project-related work
• Duration of the agreement
• Cities and Metro representatives
• Basis and agreement on scope through Cities’ jurisdiction
• Process and agreement on design review procedures and time periods for review and approval
• Basis of Design for Enabling Works
• Maintenance responsibilities of elements within Cities’ jurisdiction
With the approval of the CA, all costs incurred by Cities’ staff and their consultants for design review and permit coordination, among others, would be reimbursed by Metro through an annual plan authorization process specified in the CA. In doing so, Cities agree to waive all permit fees. The CA does not relieve Metro or its contractor(s) from the requirements of submitting all plans, documents, and reports for review and comment before obtaining the Cities’ approval prior to the start of any construction activity within the public right-of-way.
In addition, the Project involves the design and construction of grade-separated crossings over or under freight railroads in the Cities of Commerce and Montebello. Metro has initiated design coordination and is developing cooperative agreements with two railroad companies, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway and Union Pacific Railroads (UPRR). Other agreements such as self-permitting and franchise agreements will be developed and negotiated separately due to the complexity of roles and responsibilities of those specific agreements.
The CA has been approved by City Council of Montebello on November 13, 2024. Metro will continue working with the other four corridor cities to finalize the agreements in early 2025. As CAs are approved by the remaining individual city councils (Commerce, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier), staff recommends the Board also authorizes the CEO or her designee to approve any additional agreements that may be needed for other responsible stakeholder agencies and any necessary future revisions and/or updates to the other agreements.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Recommended actions will not affect the safety of Metro customers and/or employees because this Project is in the planning phase and no construction or operational safety impacts result from this Board Action.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Project will be constructed in two Phases, including Phase 2A (4.7-mile IOS to the Montebello Greenwood Staton) and Phase 2B (future E-Line Extension to Whittier). The Board’s certification of the Project’s final EIR and project approval in May 2024 represents Metro’s commitment to the complete buildout of the Project. In addition, the Board’s approval for the Preliminary Engineering (30% design) contract modification for the IOS in September 2024 allows staff to continue collaborating with the corridor cities on the cooperative agreements and advancing the design, right-of-way acquisition, and relocation process, and advance utility relocation work for the IOS. Staff will continue to update communities as part of the reinitiated NEPA clearance process and continue project design development.
Impact to Budget
Funding for this action comes from Measure R, 35% Transit Capital, Measure M funds, as well as state grant funds that have been awarded to the Project. The FY 2025 budget includes approximately $9M in Cost Center 4310 (Mobility Corridors), Project 460232. Since this Project is a multi-year environmental planning process, the Cost Center Manager and Chief Planning Officer will be responsible for budgeting in future years. These funds are not eligible for bus or rail operating expenses.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Board’s approval for the CA is consistent with the goals and objectives outlined in the Metro Equity Platform Framework that identified that the Project traverses through Equity Focus Communities (EFCs) along the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. The full project alignment traverses six (6) Equity-Focused Communities (EFC), which are in the Cities of Montebello, Commerce, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, and unincorporated communities of East Los Angeles and West-Whittier- Los Nietos. There are 2,281 transit-dependent households along the project alignment and 1,828 transit-dependent households along the IOS. This Project will benefit these EFCs and other communities along the eastern portion of Los Angeles County by providing access to a reliable light rail system and filling a current gap in high-quality transit services. When the eventual build-out of the project occurs, communities along the corridor will have access to the Metro regional network providing residents with critical transit service to access greater employment, health, and educational opportunities that include, but are not limited to, Whittier College, East Los Angeles College, Citadel Outlets, Historic Whittier Boulevard retail, and Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital.
The execution of the CA and other as-needed agreements with other responsible stakeholder agencies is essential to the successful and timely completion of this project, and subsequent benefits for project area communities.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The Project supports the following strategic plan goals identified in Vision 2028:
• 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 and.
• Goal 5: Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve the recommendations, however, doing so may hinder Metro’s delivery of this Measure M project according to the timeline outlined in the Expenditure Plan.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Metro Board approval, the CEO or her designee will execute the CA between Metro and the City of Montebello. Staff will continue to work with other responsible stakeholder agencies (corridor cities and railroads) to develop agreements, annual work plans, and create a work order for payment.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - City of Montebello City Council Meeting Staff Report (November 13, 2024)
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Cassie Truong, Senior Transportation Planner, (213) 922-3489
Maressa Sah, Manager, Transportation Planning (213) 922-2462
Jill Liu, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development (213) 922-7220
Dolores Roybal Saltarelli, Interim Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-3024
David Mieger, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-3040
Allison Yoh, Interim Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-4812
Eduardo Cervantes, Executive Officer, Third Party Administration, (213) 922-7255
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
Tim Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7297
