Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 16, 2017
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: RAIL STATION NAME
ACTION: ADOPT STATION NAMES FOR REGIONAL CONNECTOR
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
ADOPT the following Official and Operational station names for the three stations that comprise Metro Rail’s Regional Connector:
|
Official Station Name |
Operational Station Name |
|
1. Little Tokyo/Arts District |
Little Tokyo/Arts District |
|
2. Historic Broadway |
Historic Broadway |
|
3. Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill |
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill |
Issue
ISSUE
Since its inception, stations on the Regional Connector have been identified by placeholder names based on street intersection. With construction in progress, final names need to be adopted by the Board in order to facilitate station signage design and fabrication without incurring extra costs for changes.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Property Naming Policy
The recently updated and Board-approved Property Naming and Corporate Sponsorship/Naming Rights Policy (Attachment A) states that rail stations will be named in a simple and straightforward way to assist customers in navigating the system and the region. It indicates that names must be brief enough for quick recognition and retention, and must be based primarily on geographic location, referring to a nearby street or freeway, a well-known destination or landmark, a community or district name, or a city name. The policy also states that single names for stations are preferable, and that if multiple names are used, they are to be separated by a slash.
The policy further indicates that properties may have a Board-adopted official name and a shorter operational name; the official name is used in Board documents and legal notices, while the operational name is used more commonly on station signage, maps and customer materials. The policy recommends keeping the length of the operational name to a maximum of 24 characters to ensure readability and compliance with ADA type size requirements.
Community Input
Per the policy, staff initiated Station Naming review in September and continued outreach through December 15, 2016. The Metro team facilitated dialog with local community, business and civic leaders as well as residential stakeholders through a series of eighteen community meetings and online, reaching over 1,000 people. In December leaders within Little Tokyo (the Arts District communities), 2nd/Broadway, and 2nd Pl/Hope St. station areas came to general agreement on a preferred name with a few caveats noted below.
Based on this input, staff recommends adoption of the names shown in the table below. A map of these stations showing the proposed Operational names is included as Attachment B. Alternate names for each station are shown in Attachment C.
|
Placeholder Name - Original |
Official Name - Proposed |
Operational Name - Proposed |
|
1st Street/Central Av |
Little Tokyo/Arts District |
Little Tokyo/Arts District |
|
2nd Street/Broadway |
Historic Broadway |
Historic Broadway |
|
2nd Place/Hope St |
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill |
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill |
1. 1st Street/Central Av
This future station is located within the Little Tokyo community and adjacent to the Arts District. The Metro Gold Line’s Little Tokyo/Arts District Station currently serves as the stop for both communities. The general consensus between community leaders from both communities is that the name Little Tokyo/Arts District station should be transferred as the name for this station as it has a “history and life” of its own already. This value should not be lost when the lines converge and the existing Gold Line station is eliminated. The caveat is that Little Tokyo leaders, recognizing the future may also hold a station within the Arts District, are asking upon confirmation of a station, that the Arts District name be removed from the Little Tokyo stop and be made available as the station name to their neighbors. Little Tokyo leaders also view a stand-alone name as a more accurate description of the stop and a means to strengthen the unique appeal of this community as one of the 3 remaining “Japantowns” in the nation.
2. 2nd Street/Broadway
This stop is adjacent to the Civic Center and a few blocks north of Historic Broadway. Stakeholders generally agree that Historic Broadway is an accurate description and while adjacent to the Civic Center, a Civic Center stop already exists. In addition, stakeholders believe this is already a well-known neighborhood county-wide.
3. 2nd Place/Hope St
The 2nd Place/Hope stakeholders were able to come to agreement on a station name, but not the order. Arguments were made on whether Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill or Bunker Hill/Grand Av Arts offered greater neighborhood recognition. Representatives for cultural institutions insist that Grand Av Arts should be first as more compelling to attracting new visitors via transit. Bunker Hill residents felt strongly that Bunker Hill is currently well-known, has been established longer, and therefore should be placed first.
While in person discussions continued between Metro and the community in an attempt to resolve 2nd Place/Hope St stakeholders’ disagreement, staff launched an on-line survey in November. Overall, the objective was to invite a larger number of public opinions and to assess the comments to confirm the stronger neighborhood identity between the two proposed names for 2nd/Hope. The name Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill received more comments of support. Bunker Hill/Grand Av Arts received more varied reasons to adopt the name in this order. Both exceed the 24 preferred letter standard by 1 for the operational name. Metro designers believe it is possible to incorporate either option into station signage while meeting compliance standards.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Adoption of these names does not affect the incidence of injuries or healthful conditions for patrons or employees. Therefore, approval will have no impact on safety.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will result in no financial impact to Metro.
Impact to Budget
Approval of this item will have no impact to Metro’s budget.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The proposed names were developed as the result of community input and are consistent both with Metro’s naming policy and the names of other stations in the system. The Board may elect to substitute one or more of the alternate station names shown in Attachment C, some of which also are consistent with Metro’s naming policy.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will work with the Regional Connector construction project to ensure that the Board-adopted station names are implemented.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Property Naming Policy
Attachment B - Map of Regional Connector with proposed Operational Station Names
Attachment C - Table of alternate names for each station
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Glen Becerra, Deputy Executive Officer, Marketing, (213) 922-5661
Yvette Rapose, Director, Construction Relations, (213) 922-2297
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
Pauletta Tonilas, Chief Communications Officer, (213) 922-3777
