Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JANUARY 19, 2022
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS HAHN, SOLIS, GARCETTI, MITCHELL, AND DUTRA
West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project Motion
The West Santa Ana Branch is the next major Measure M transit construction project set to advance to engineering and construction, with completion of the final environmental document anticipated in early 2023.
Once fully completed, this 19-mile light-rail line will provide a one-seat ride connecting the City of Artesia with Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, traversing a dozen more cities along the way. Nearly the entire alignment runs through Metro-defined Equity-Focused Communities and the CalEnviroScreen’s SB 535-defined “Disadvantaged Communities.”
One of the Board of Directors’ four “Pillar Projects” (February 2019), the West Santa Ana Branch has had an aspirational completion date no later than the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With those games set to take place six years from now, that completion date appears unlikely; but of the four pillar projects, the acceleration of this one would benefit the most underserved communities.
Metro staff’s recommended approach, while advancing the West Santa Ana Branch toward funding and construction, also commits to a timeline that should be further accelerated. The project needs to do more for future riders of the initial operating segment as well as those on other Metro services that would be affected by this new line.
Subject
SUBJECT: WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH TRANSIT CORRIDOR PROJECT MOTION
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RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Directors Hahn, Solis, Garcetti, Mitchell, and Dutra that the Board adopt as policy that the full West Santa Ana Branch project will be declared complete once it provides a single-seat ride connecting the City of Artesia (Pioneer Boulevard) to Los Angeles Union Station via rail.
In order to ensure this full completion of the West Santa Ana Branch, WE FURTHER MOVE that the Board direct the CEO to:
A. Identify and pursue accelerated construction of individual project components and accelerated funding for the locally preferred alternative including as part of the Transit Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Cycle 5, in order to complete it sooner than FY33;
B. Advance Value Capture and Public-Private Partnership work, including a Project Development Agreement opportunity, to accelerate and complete the line into Downtown LA;
C. To mitigate impacts of a Slauson Ave forced transfer on the existing light rail system with the initial operating segment’s northern terminus at A Line (Blue) Slauson Station:
a. Coordinate with stakeholder agencies, including the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, and the City of Vernon Public Works Department to develop and implement bus rapid transit service along the future final project alignment between Slauson Ave and Los Angeles Union Station, consistent with the Metro Board-approved Bus Rapid Transit Vision and Principles Study (March 2021);
b. Advance major capital improvements to the Washington/Flower Wye Junction countywide light rail bottleneck, based on a minimum funding target of $330 million as defined by previous studies (July 2017) to be sought through new or future funding opportunities. As this project will support increased transit usage during major events, including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as improved service reliability for daily transit users, Metro shall prioritize the project for 2028-related funding opportunities, subject to consideration by the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Mobility Executives group;
D. As part of the additional study of the Slauson to Union Station segment, include the following:
a. Develop the Little Tokyo station and access, in collaboration with the Little Tokyo and surrounding communities;
b. An assessment of above-grade/aerial sections of the locally preferred alternative where cut-and-cover could be constructed at lower cost;
E. Consistent with the LA River / Rio Hondo Confluence Station’s ongoing feasibility study, include design elements in the Final EIR for the locally preferred alternative that will reduce impacts to operations associated with future construction of this station;
F. In partnership with community-based organizations, develop a local and targeted hiring policy and project labor agreement (PLA) for construction jobs and for permanent jobs to be created by the West Santa Ana Branch Project;
G. Maintain subregions’ funding apportionments as provided under Measure M, with any consideration for borrowing across subregions subject to future Board action. Should it ever become necessary to consider the use of Central City Subregion funding for construction outside the Central City Subregion, the Central City Subregion shall be made whole dollar-for-dollar; and,
H. Report back to the Board in April 2022 with updates on all of the above items.