Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
JANUARY 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: EASTBOUND 91 ATLANTIC TO CHERRY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Action
ACTION: ORAL REPORT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE an oral report from staff regarding the current status of the Eastbound 91 Atlantic to Cherry Safety Improvements project.
Issue
ISSUE
The Eastbound 91 Atlantic to Cherry Safety Improvements Project (Project) is 1.4-mile project that improves the operations and safety of the corridor by elimination of the lane reduction at the gore of the SB I-710 to eastbound SR-91 connector and the reconfiguration of the eastbound on-ramp from Atlantic Avenue and the eastbound off-ramp to Cherry Avenue. The improvements also include an additional eastbound auxiliary lane from Atlantic Avenue to Cherry Avenue by reconfiguring Atlantic Avenue Undercrossing, Myrtle Avenue Undercrossing, Orange Avenue Undercrossing, and Walnut Avenue Undercrossing. All of these improvements provide operational and safety improvements that would reduce truck congestion and increase safety on the heavily used freight corridor.
The specific improvements chosen were informed by an analysis of mainline and ramp collision history, performed by Caltrans Traffic Accident Surveillance and Analysis System. For the area within this Project, total accident rates range from 30% to 73% higher than the total statewide average accident rate, and fatality rates in this area exceed statewide averages by 35%, all highlighting the need for these safety-critical improvements. Data associated with these accidents show that accidents were indicative of ramp and auxiliary lane congestion due to weaving patterns and/or existing ramp and intersection geometry. The safety improvements to the SR-91 Corridor are expected to avoid one fatality, 366 injuries, and 646 crashes over the 20-year study period.
This oral report will include an update on the current status of the project, including Metro’s coordination with the City of Long Beach and stakeholders, the status of the previously awarded construction contract, and an update on timelines for project completion.
Equity Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Project is located within an Equity Focus Community (EFC) of the City of Long Beach and adjacent to the EFCs of Cities of Compton and Paramount. The Project will significantly improve traffic safety for the region and surrounding communities while also implementing Complete Streets elements, ADA features, and other community benefits such as landscaping and lighting improvements. The term “Complete Streets” describes a comprehensive, integrated transportation network with infrastructure and design that allows safe and convenient travel along and across streets for all users, including pedestrians, users and operators of public transit, bicyclists, persons with disabilities, seniors, children, motorists, users of green modes, and movers of commercial goods. The California Department of Transportation defines a Complete Street as “a transportation facility that is planned, designed, operated, and maintained to provide safe mobility for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists appropriate to the function and context of the facility.” This project adheres to this high-level policy direction that helps redefine how transportation agencies approach streets and highways so that the default outcome is a transportation system that balances the needs of all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. Through continued and incremental changes in capital projects, the street network gradually becomes safer and more accessible for travelers of all ages and abilities.
The Project will employ a robust community engagement program with the goals of building awareness, sharing project information, identifying key issues and concerns important to the public, elected officials, and government agencies and integrating public feedback into the project during the construction phase. The Project area has a meaningfully greater racial minority population than that of Los Angeles County. The Project area has a Hispanic or Latino population greater than 50 percent of the total population, and the percentage of total minority populations ranges between 76 and 97 percent. Based on the demographic data, outreach materials (i.e., fact sheets, letters, flyers, newspaper ads) will be translated into Spanish as needed.
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.
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 is expected to increase VMT in LA County, as it includes an investment focused on safety that may also produce additional vehicle trips because of increasing the roadway capacity on currently congested portions of Eastbound 91. 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.
This project is exempt from CEQA VMT mitigation requirements.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Timothy P. Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7297
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Timothy P. Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7297
