Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 18, 2017
Subject
SUBJECT: FIRST/LAST MILE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
UPDATE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE report on First/Last Mile Program Status in response to Board Motion 51 (July 27, 2017).
Issue
ISSUE
This report responds to Metro Board Motion 51 (July 27, 2017) which required a report to the Planning and Programming Committee on progress implementing previous Board direction related to First/Last Mile. Specifically, the Board adopted Motion 14.1 in May 2016 calling for a range of First/Last Mile planning, funding, and implementation activities and Motion 14.2 in June 2016 allowing for local implementation of First/Last Mile for new transit project to be counted toward fulfilling the 3% local contribution for rail projects. This report follows a December 1, 2016 report to the Board establishing a slate of new program activities and delineating resource needs.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
On December 1, 2016, the First/Last Mile Motion Response identified new projects/programs which organize and operationalize direction given by the Board in Motions 14.1 and 14.2. The December 1, 2016 report further delineated resource needs including staffing and consultant budget necessary to carry out the work. In updating progress, this report follows the program structure described in that prior report which grouped First/Last Mile activities as follows:
• Transit Capital Projects Guidelines to Integrate First/Last Mile
• Countywide First/Last Mile Planning
• Purple Line Sections 2 & 3 First/Last Mile Planning and Design
• Matching Grant Funding / Grant Technical Assistance
At this stage, staff has taken steps to establish each of these program areas. Of note, the Countywide Planning and Development Department structure now includes a dedicated First/Last Mile Planning group which is organized as part of a larger Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) team. This structure acknowledges that as the Metro system has expanded over the years, it is important to advance a holistic approach to transit planning that makes accessibility, equity and sustainability part of our transit corridor planning and delivery process. Staff is developing the TOC Program to guide the incorporation of the TOC concept into Metro’s day-to-day operations as well as implementation of Measure M projects. In spring 2018, staff will bring to the Board a presentation on the TOC Program, along with a TOC Policy. The TOC Policy is a requirement of the Board-adopted Measure M Guidelines and will provide direction on eligibility of both Metro spending on TOC activities, including the First/Last Mile Program, and Local Return funds.
Status on each First/Last Mile activity is described below:
In Progress
• Blue Line First/Last Mile Planning (Countywide First/Last Mile Planning)
Description: Grant (State Active Transportation Program) funded effort to produce station area first/last mile plans for all 22 Blue Line stations.
Status/Highlights:
• Project completion with final first/last mile plans anticipated in December 2017.
• Outreach includes innovative community engagement partnered with Community Based Organizations. Events have been effective in gathering input from broad cross-section of community members, and will help to refine approaches for future work.
• Station area conditions are challenging for many Blue Line stations, particularly where residential, industrial, and goods movement uses exist in close proximity with substantial conflicts for pedestrians and cyclists accessing stations.
• Cities along the Blue Line corridor have been engaged in the process and are supportive of first/last mile outreach efforts. Further coordination with local agencies, focusing on next stops and implementation opportunities, will take place in the closing stages of the project.
• Purple Line Sections 2 & 3 and Transit Capital Projects Guidelines
Description: Specifically responds to Motions 14.1 and 14.2 by preparing plans for Purple Line Sections 2 and 3 station areas, and by preparing guidelines to delineate process to integrate first/last mile into future transit capital projects. Purple Line and Guideline efforts are joined in one project/contract in order to take advantage of synergies in the work.
Status/Highlights:
• Project is in the closing stages of procurement with contract kickoff anticipated by November 2017. Any more current status will be updated to the Committee verbally at the meeting.
• Preliminary coordination with corridor jurisdictions underway. Of note, staff from the City of Beverly Hills participated in consultant proposal evaluations.
• Guidelines development will feature extensive internal and external coordination processes, and will provide an early template for the integration of TOC concepts within the transit corridor planning process.
• First/Last Mile planning and implementation will be integrated into all future transit capital projects, including the Airport Metro Connector, East San Fernando Valley Corridor, and others, as required by Motion 14.1. To date, the coordination and integration process has begun on individual projects, particularly where new planning and design scopes of work have been developed. The process for each project will be detailed through the Guidelines and will likely vary depending on how far along the project is. For all projects, however, our process will allow for First/Last Mile components to be in place at the time of completion.
• City of Inglewood Stations (Countywide First/Last Mile Planning)
Description: Fulfills Metro obligation under the 3% Local Funding Agreement adopted by the Metro Board on August 23, 2016. The effort will result in First/Last Mile station area plans for three Crenshaw/LAX Line stations within the City of Inglewood and one existing Green Line station.
Status/Highlights:
• Project is currently in the procurement process (Proposals received on August 23, 2017).
• Anticipated Project kickoff in December 2017; with any more current status to be updated to the Committee verbally at the meeting.
• This project was substantially re-scoped in order to be executed with available staffing. This change in approach slowed initiation of procurement, necessitating a one year extension of 3% Local Funding Agreement, as reported to the Board in a Board Box on August 10, 2017.
• Gold Line Foothill Extension Phase 2B
Description: Begins implementation process for station areas on the Gold Line Foothill Extension Phase 2B by preparing station area plans, which includes coordination with the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (Authority) and corridor cities. This effort responds to specific direction in Motion 14.1 to include Foothill Gold Line extension stations among First/Last Mile implementation activities.
Status/Highlights
• Project is currently in early stages of procurement with anticipated award in early 2018.
• Coordination discussions have begun involving the Authority, Metro’s Program Management team, and corridor cities.
• Project deliverables are intended to identify eligible station area improvements and facilitate 3% Local Contribution negotiations.
Pending
• Matching Grant Program
Description: Per Motion 14.1, and described in the December 1, 2016 report, staff is to develop a program whereby Metro will provide local match funding for local jurisdiction initiated grant applications seeking to implement first/last mile projects. This effort will be geared towards maximizing competitiveness for grants.
Status/Highlights:
• This matching grant program would utilize funding within the Measure M 2% Metro Active Transportation Program. At this time, that program is pending Administrative Guidelines, estimated to be completed by June 2018. Within the Guideline development process, matching grants will be considered alongside other funding priorities.
• It should be noted that Motion 14.1 was adopted in advance of the successful passage of Measure M, which resulted in substantial new sources of potential matching funds. Notably, this includes:
o local return, available by formula to all cities, and
o a subset of multi-year subregional programs that are dedicated by ordinance to first/last mile and active transportation investments.
Therefore, this new enhanced funding environment for active transportation projects will also be considered, as a comprehensive response to local match is developed.
• Grant/Funding Technical Assistance
Description: This program is intended to expand Metro’s on-going efforts to provide technical assistance for grant applications. Current efforts are focused on the State Active Transportation Program.
Status/Highlights:
• Through Motion 14.1, the Board has adopted a Grant Assistance Program for Metro staff to provide technical and grant writing support to local jurisdictions wishing to deliver first/last mile projects and applying to the State Active Transportation Program.
• A concurrent report on this agenda provides a status update and recommended approach for the fourth cycle of state ATP grants. At this time, staff is recommending that projects implementing first/last mile improvements be assigned additional priority for Metro-sponsored grant submittals.
• It should be noted the December 1, 2016 report reflected a doubling of grant assistance, but that this could not be accommodated with available staffing through the FY 2018 budget.
• Countywide First/Last Mile Planning (existing stations/stops - beyond current Blue Line and Inglewood efforts)
Description: Per Motion 14.1, staff is to prepare first/last mile station area plans for the existing transit system inclusive of Metro Rail, busways, regional rail, and high ridership bus stops.
Status/Highlights:
o Current efforts include the completion of the Blue Line First/Last Mile planning project, as noted above as well as First/Last Mile plan preparation for the stations in the City of Inglewood. The Inglewood project includes creation of a digital data collection tool that will be used in future planning efforts countywide.
o The current bus system overhaul will inform locations to be included in the countywide planning effort.
o Remaining station/stop area first/last mile plans will be pursued in future years when staffing is available, and related foundational studies are completed.
Other Activities
In recent months, Metro has pursued a variety of First/Last Mile outreach, communication and coordination efforts. Some of these activities include:
• LA-Más Go Ave 26: LA-Más, a non-profit urban design organization, received a one year grant from Transit Center (national non-profit transit research and advocacy organization) with support from Metro. The grant funds temporary design interventions to improve pedestrian experience near Lincoln/Cypress Station. This project has the opportunity to inform Metro’s station area plans as it relates to first/last mile strategies and investments.
• Training: Metro has completed four First/Last Mile Training workshops geared toward local staff and elected officials, with two more upcoming training sessions thru January 2018. Thus far, the four completed First/Last Mile Training workshops had attracted over 230 participants.
• Future project coordination/TOC approach - Working closely with future transit capital project teams (e.g. East San Fernando Valley, Eastside Gold Line Extension) efforts are focused on advancing First/Last Mile planning steps where appropriate and considering steps to more fully integrate TOC and First/Last Mile considerations in the corridor/project planning process.
• Educational Forum by Planning Horizons: On July 24, 2017, staff made an in-depth presentation about the system-wide approach of Metro’s First/Last Mile program at a Caltrans education forum.
• Blog Coverage: On August 30, 2017, TransitCenter published an article LA Metro Walks the Walk, which summarized Metro’s First/Last Mile Strategic Plan, and the agency’s approach on implementing the First/Last Mile program.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Item is presented for information only with no financial impact at this time.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will pursue on-going First/Last Mile planning and implementation work as described in this report, and will provide further updates to the Committee at approximately six month intervals.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Motion 51, July 27, 2017
Attachment B - Motion 14.1
Attachment C - Motion 14.2
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Jacob Lieb, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4132
Jenna Hornstock, Executive Officer, Transit Oriented Communities, (213) 922-7437
Calvin Hollis, SEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7319
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Therese W. McMillan, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-7077
