Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
MARCH 16, 2016
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: CAP-AND-TRADE TRANSIT AND INTERCITY RAIL CAPITAL PROGRAM
ACTION: APPROVE PROJECT APPLICATION PRIORITIZATION AND SUBMITTAL
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to submit project applications for grant funds from California's Cap-and-Trade Transit and Intercity Rail Capital program.
Issue
ISSUE
Applications for grant funds from California's Cap-and-Trade Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) are due to Caltrans' Office of Mass Transit Programs by the deadline of April 5, 2016. Metro will develop applications for up to four projects that were identified as potential candidates as a result of preliminary staff-level screenings (in alphabetical order):
* Airport Metro Connector;
* Division 20 Portal Expansion/Turnback Facility;
* Gold Line Foothill Extension Phase 2B; and
* Orange Line Electric Bus Purchase.
Following is a discussion of the evaluation process used to select the final grant fund candidates and the criteria used to prioritize the projects as required by TIRCP Guidelines.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
At the February 2016 Board meeting, approval was granted to develop applications for candidate projects to Caltrans for potential receipt of Cap-and-Trade TIRCP grant funds. Board Report Item #19 (Attachment A) discussed the Program's eligibility criteria and identified potential Metro projects. Attachment A to Item #19 was a matrix of the criteria and of several candidate projects considered as the most competitive for the first cycle of the program at that time. The Board report also identified that staff would return to the Board in March to approve final application submittals.
As indicated in Attachment A, primary goals for TIRCP are greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) reduction and maximization of benefits to disadvantaged communities. These goals can be met by improving accessibility to economic opport...
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