Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: MEASURE M METRO ACTIVE TRANSPORT, TRANSIT AND FIRST/LAST MILE (MAT) PROGRAM CYCLE 2
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. APPROVING project selection for Measure M Metro Active Transport, Transit and First/Last Mile program (MAT Program) funding to 16 projects, as shown in Attachment A;
B. APPROVING an additional $5,000,000 to increase the originally authorized funding for Cycle 2 of the MAT Program from $80,500,000 to $85,500,000; and
C. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or her designee to negotiate and execute all necessary agreements for approved projects.
Issue
ISSUE
On November 30, 2023, the Metro Board authorized a project selection process for Cycle 2 of the MAT Program, which invests Measure M MAT Program funds per the Measure M Guidelines, in grants to local jurisdictions, with an emphasis on projects that will be ready for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Staff recommend awarding a total of 16 grants (Attachment A) for Cycle 2 with funding programmed over Fiscal Years (FY) 2026-2030 (Attachment B).
Background
BACKGROUND
Per the Measure M Guidelines, the MAT Program must be informed by the Active Transportation Strategic Plan (ATSP). On November 30, 2023, the Board adopted the update to the ATSP and associated eligible project list for each project category, and authorized staff to develop and release the solicitation for Cycle 2 of the MAT Program. On April 24, 2025, the Board authorized a Programming Update authorizing a total amount of $80.5 million.
Only projects in locations identified in the ATSP are eligible for Cycle 2 funding. The ATSP describes the active transportation network, defines project types, and identifies high-priority projects for MAT Program funding, reflected by their weighted scores and tier category, with Tier 1 projects being the highest priority. The weighted scores of these projects were based on equity, safety needs, connectivity, and accessibility; the tiering of the project list considered geographic balance.
In summer 2024, Metro staff held a pre-solicitation information session describing program criteria and eligible projects and also held a post-release workshop on February 20, 2025, on the application process and evaluation criteria. The presentation deck for this workshop and recording were made available on the MAT Program webpage. Additionally, Metro staff held individual office hours upon request from any applicant during February and March and provided continuous updates of a Frequently Asked Questions page.
On February 6, 2025, Metro released the Cycle 2 MAT solicitation for Letters of Interest (LOI) for eligible projects in each of the categories described above. 30 LOIs were received by the due date of April 7, 2025, and were evaluated based on the following criteria:
• demonstration of need
• project benefits
• project delivery assurance
• funding plan and schedule
• demonstration of stakeholder support
• project partnerships
• alignment with existing plans and projects
The MAT solicitation establishes the program requirements, eligibility, and scoring criteria (Attachment C). As detailed in the ATSP, Cycle 2 of the MAT Program will fund three major categories of activity:
• Development of a First/Last Mile (FLM) priority network around major transit stations (First/Last Mile Projects);
• Development of regionally significant pedestrian districts to support walkability and safety (Pedestrian District Projects); and
• Development of a regional active transportation corridor priority network supporting travel by active rolling modes countywide (Active Transportation Corridor Projects).
Bonus points were given to proposals that are based on the 2028 Games Mobility Concept Plan (MCP) MCP and that ensure delivery by FY 2028.
Cycle 1 of the MAT Program awarded $63,100,000 in funding to 11 First/Last Mile projects and 5 Active Transportation Corridor projects. Based on project implementation in Cycle 1, Cycle 2 focused on targeted safety improvements and timely use of project funds. Staff held project scoping discussions with recommended project sponsors to emphasize high safety standards for active transportation infrastructure projects. Additionally, Cycle 2 funds will be programmed by project phase, in addition to fiscal year, in order to better align with construction costs and project timelines.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Project Selection
Metro assembled an evaluation team composed of 19 agency staff to evaluate the 30 LOIs received. Each LOI was evaluated by three independent evaluators assigned at random. The evaluators’ scores were averaged to arrive at a qualitative criteria score worth 70 percent of the total project score. The remaining 30 percent of the score was derived from the predetermined need-based quantitative analysis established in the adopted ATSP. Funding recommendations are based on the order of total score and limited by the amount of available funds. The 30 applications received included 12 FLM applications, 14 active transportation corridor applications, two pedestrian district applications, and two quick build applications. The total funding request across all applications was $159.4 million.
The project recommendations were posted to the MAT website on August 14, 2025. Upon investigation, it was discovered that one project application from the City of Inglewood was not included in the initial project evaluation due to an Information Technology (IT) email sorting error. Staff coordinated with Metro’s Information and Technology Services (ITS) and evaluated the application. The project was included in the revised project list in Attachment A as recommended for funding, increasing the total Cycle 2 recommended funding amount by $5,000,000. Therefore, staff is recommending increasing the total MAT Cycle 2 programming amount from the previously Board authorized $80,500,000, to $85,500,000. This action may impact funding availability for future cycles. Staff will inform the public of the submitted applications after the deadline for submissions to avoid such an issue in the future.
Staff recommends 16 proposals for award that will receive the full $85.5 million available. Of the 16 projects recommended for funding, 13 have indicated they will be completed by 2028, thereby significantly improving mobility and contributing to the regional active transportation network for the Games. These timelines are subject to change as projects develop further.
Staff recommends fully funding the requests of all but one recommended project, City of Alhambra, which includes the full design of a proposed bicycle plan on several connecting streets with contingent funding to construct a selection of those streets. Unfunded segments from this design will be prioritized for additional funding for construction in Cycle 3 or should funding from either Cycle 1 or 2 be deobligated.
14 proposals were not recommended for award due to their ranked score from the evaluation process. These projects had lower scores due to various considerations, including safety, project delivery assurances, connectivity, and community engagement. In addition to these considerations, the three Games supportive projects are not recommended for funding because the project either duplicates an existing project scope, lacks sufficient evidence of key partnerships necessary for project implementation, or does not meet the application requirements.
Nine of the 16 recommended projects are either on the MCP or are Games-supportive and are expected to be completed by 2028. Of these, two projects on Attachment A received additional points for being on the MCP and are required to be completed by Summer 2028 to avoid deobligation of the Cycle 2 project funds. Implementing the MAT Cycle 2 projects will improve public health outcomes, safety, and the environment through the delivery of countywide active transportation improvements comprising 28.3 miles of new bike lanes/paths as well as improved access to 11 transit stops and stations. Collectively, Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 of the MAT Program will deliver 54.2 miles of these improvements to corridors and improve access to 22 transit stops and stations. Pedestrian improvements funded through this action will enhance crosswalks and signals and include new curb extensions, curb ramps, traffic calming infrastructure and intersection improvements.
Programming and Timely Use of Funds
Staff will program funds by phase and fiscal year. MAT Cycle 2 submittals did not require a completed planning phase in order to apply for all phases of the project through construction, as is typical in other competitive funding programs. As such, four of these projects will require an initial scoping and/or design phase to arrive at a more refined scope and reliable funding amounts for the full project. The programming for subsequent project development phases reflects the best not-to-exceed estimates and is subject to further refinement.
Metro will program funding for the first phase of project development requested by the project sponsor in FY2026, as well as provide conditional approval to fund subsequent phases, which will be programmed at the conclusion of each phase as defined in the funding agreement. Projects that do not change will not require additional Board approval to program the construction phase of the project. Minor scope changes may also be allowed without Board approval if the grantee will still deliver a project that meets the intent of the originally awarded project scope of work, including the defined project limits, with the awarded funding. Staff will seek Board approval of any recommended program funding amendments, such as fund deobligation, addition of project elements, or adjustments to the programming years as projects develop. Deobligation may occur if a project does not meet its original intent, thereby no longer scoring competitively within the evaluation process.
The solicitation describes timely use of funds requirements that will be enforced. Projects have three years from the program year to request allocation of funds. Therefore, projects that have not completed the plans, specifications and estimates (PS&E) phase programmed in FY2026 by FY 2029 will be deobligated and not receive a construction grant award, leading to those funds being eligible to fund other projects. Additionally, projects that received points for being on the MCP must complete construction by FY 2028 or the funds will be deobligated. Administrative extensions for MCP projects will not be authorized.
Project Roles
If requested by a grantee, Metro may lead the early planning and scoping phase of projects, as was done for several projects in the Cycle 1. For projects where Metro leads early project development, funding will be programmed with Metro as the recipient for this phase, as indicated in the programming table, and staff will prepare and execute Cooperative Agreements with project sponsors. Projects led locally will otherwise require Funding Agreements with Metro. If a grantee wishes for Metro to lead the early phase of project development and Metro agrees to this based on an assessment of available resources, Metro will administratively update the programming table to reflect Metro as lead entity for that phase and enter into a Cooperative Agreement. Attachment B includes a note indicating the projects eligible for this arrangement. The Construction phase for all projects recommended for MAT Cycle 2 funding will be implemented by the local jurisdictions through a funding agreement with Metro.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The programming of $85.5 million in Measure M funds for these projects will result in improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and people accessing transit. All projects were first evaluated for safety needs during the development of the ATSP and then further prioritized based on safety benefits during the evaluation of applications. Proposed safety countermeasures from these projects, such as Class I and IV bikeways, curb extensions, pedestrian signals, and traffic calming features reduce vehicle speeds and conflict points between motor vehicles and pedestrians and bicyclists. Metro will work with project sponsors to collect data to determine the effectiveness of projects at improving safety and reducing crashes involving the most vulnerable road users.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This action would program projects for funding between FY 2026 and FY 2030 (Attachment B). Each project has three years from the programming year to spend the funds for that phase of project development. Project sponsors may request reimbursements beginning this fiscal year and staff expect $8,500,000 in disbursements in FY26.
The full life cycle of programming for all MAT Cycle 2 projects is shown in Attachment B. For all projects that did not receive additional points for being on the MCP, project sponsors have three years from the programming year to spend funds before they lapse. The three projects (Pasadena, LABOE and Pomona) that have this requirement are programmed in FY2028 and must request reimbursement by that year. All MAT projects will be budgeted in the Metro Active Transport project (#473001) for reimbursement payments to MAT projects being implemented by local jurisdictions or to Metro for any project where Metro is the lead through a Cooperative Agreement. 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
Recommendation A is inclusive of a multi-year budget and will add $8,500,000 to the FY 2026 budget for the Metro Active Transport project (#473001) through Cost Centers #0441, #4360, and #4340. The source of funds for these projects is Measure M Active Transportation 2%, which includes other active transportation projects, such as the LA River Path Project. This fund source is not eligible for Metro bus and rail operating and capital expenditures. As with all discretionary grant programs, there is a risk of timely expenditure of funds. Staff will continuously monitor projects and budgets to ensure progress and adherence to timelines.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The recommended projects from the MAT Program will improve the safety and mobility for active transportation users throughout LA County. The improvements prioritize safe and dignified routes and accommodations for vulnerable road users accessing Metro Stations by walking, biking, or rolling.
The ATSP, which guides the MAT Program, including the selection and initial prioritization of eligible projects, elevated equity considerations at all stages of development. The ATSP update in 2023 identified the goals of Equity, Safety and Comfort, Accessibility, Connectivity and Sustainability, with each goal being supported by two to three objectives. The purpose of the Equity goal is for low-income populations, communities of color, and other vulnerable and underserved people to have equitable access to safe and convenient active transportation options. A key objective is to prioritize active transportation interventions in Equity Focus Communities (EFCs). As such, equity is a key criterion for the prioritization of the regional network and effectively targets future active transportation investments towards those with the greatest needs in communities that have historically lacked investment.
Of the 16 projects receiving funding through this action,14 are in or immediately adjacent to EFCs in the cities of Alhambra, Burbank, Pasadena, Long Beach, Pomona, and Duarte, and Los Angeles neighborhoods of San Fernando Valley, Downtown LA, Chinatown, Koreatown, Pico-Union, South Park, and Inglewood (Attachment D). This funding will improve the quality of safety infrastructure for vulnerable road users including pedestrians and bicyclists, many of whom are regular transit users. Many households in EFCs do not have access to a car and would benefit from safer options for travel within neighborhoods and accessing transit to meet daily needs. For those projects that Metro leads the planning and design phases through Cooperative Agreements, CBOs will be employed to participate in project development.
Projects not directly in or adjacent to EFCs scored well in the qualitative evaluation. Both the City of Santa Monica (Bergamot Connector) and the City of Culver City (Overland) projects prioritize active transportation safety and serve a daytime population for work and/or school that may be different than the residential demographics.
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.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. Each of the projects within this item support Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through investment and planning activities that will improve and further encourage transit ridership 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 program advances several Strategic Plan Goals including:
• Goal #1: High-quality mobility options - advances new active transportation corridors and a full suite of first/last mile interventions at selected stations.
• Goal #2: Outstanding trip experiences for all - will develop and advance key station access improvements including traveler/transfer information, improved signage and wayfinding among others.
• Goal #3: Enhancing communities and lives - includes a clear focus on targeting investment to places that need it most due to safety, socio-economic and other factors.
• Goal #4: Transform LA County through collaboration and leadership - prompts new partnership models with agencies to deliver projects.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could elect not to approve selected projects and the programming of funds; however, this is not recommended as the MAT Program is a funding commitment in the Measure M Expenditure Plan. Without approval and programming of funds for elected projects under the MAT Program, advancement of key corridors and connections to transit that have been prioritized as part of the ATSP would be impeded. This is not recommended as the proposed projects were selected according to Board-adopted criteria. Additionally, many of these projects have been identified as important priorities for implementation before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Delaying programming of these funds may increase the risk that these projects cannot be delivered on time.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, respective implementing agencies will be notified, and Funding and/or Cooperative Agreements will be executed. Staff will continue to work with the selected grantees as described in this report. Annual updates will be provided to the Board via Board Box.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - MAT Program Cycle 2 Application Scores and Ranking
Attachment B - MAT Program Cycle 2 Program of Projects
Attachment C - MAT Program Cycle 2 Solicitation
Attachment D - MAT Program Cycle 2 Recommended Projects Map
Prepared_by
Prepared by: James Andrew, Senior Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 547-4306
Neha Chawla, Senior Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-3984
Mariko Toy, Senior Transportation Planner, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 547-4330
Gabriela Lontos-Lawlor, Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2283
Peter Carter, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7480
Jacob Lieb, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4132
Cory Zelmer, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-1079
Allison Yoh, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4812
Fanny Pan, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3433
Craig Hoshijima, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 547-4290
David Mieger, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development (213) 922-3040
Michael Cano, Senior Executive Officer (interim), Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3010
Nicole Ferrara, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4322
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
Digitally approved by Stephanie Wiggins, Chief Executive Officer