Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
JULY 25, 2019
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS BARGER, NAJARIAN, KREKORIAN AND SOLIS
Related to Item 5: Antelope Valley Line Motion
Two recently completed MTA studies, the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line (AVL) Study and the LA-Burbank- Glendale Feasibility Study, recommend both short and mid-term goals to ultimately increase frequency to 30-minute headways with bi-directional service throughout the day. Short term improvements require $41.8 million in capital improvements and $4 million more in annual costs. Mid-term improvements would require approximately $180 million in capital costs, mainly for double-tracking identified in the AVL study as 4 projects. To get these projects through environmental clearance and shovel ready, staff has estimated that $12.75 million is required. Shovel-ready is an important benchmark to position these projects for grant funding opportunities. Implementation of Scenarios 1 through 3 in the Antelope Valley Line Study will significantly improve service, as detailed in both studies.
The AVL plays a critical role in connecting North Los Angeles County, Union Station and cities in between. It carries the third highest ridership in Metrolink’s commuter rail system, and growing, reducing the equivalent of one lane of traffic from major freeways during peak commute hours, and removing approximately 1,000,000 weekday automobile trips per year.
Since the implementation of a now permanent fare reduction program in 2015, the AVL is the only rail transit line in Los Angeles County that has seen consistent, month-over-month ridership growth. As of last year, revenues from this ridership growth surpassed Metro’s cost to subsidize the program. In many ways, the AVL is a model for the current regional rail system and it will play a critical role in unlocking regional mobility, as outlined in the State Rail Plan and Metrolink’s SCORE program. It also faces serious physical constraints that limit its optimal performance.
Subject
SUBJECT: ANTELOPE VALLEY LINE MOTION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Directors Barger, Najarian, Krekorian and Solis that the Board:
A. Support implementation of Scenarios 1 through 3, as detailed in the Antelope Valley Line Study, and prioritize the Balboa Siding Project so as to open up the expedited delivery of hourly commuter rail service between North Los Angeles County and Los Angeles Union Station;
B. Direct the CEO and staff to coordinate with Metrolink on the implementation of Scenarios 1 through 3 and the inclusion and prioritization of the capital projects detailed therein as part of Metrolink’s SCORE program;
C. Authorize the programming of $6.6 million in unprogrammed FY18-22 Multi-year Subregional Programming (MSP) Transit Program funds and $6.15 million in FY23 MSP Transit Program funds from the North County Subregion, in order to bring the capital projects included in Scenarios 1 through 3 to “shovel-ready” status, and direct the CEO to report back to the Board in October with project development plans, cash flow considerations, and associated operating costs;
D. Direct the CEO to coordinate with Metrolink on a discretionary grant strategy, and with the North County Subregion on additional local funding options that could be leveraged, to fully fund the remaining construction costs of the capital projects included in Scenarios 1 through 3, and include an update in the October report back to the Board;
E. Support the implementation of a diesel, electric, battery electric, or hybrid multiple unit train pilot program on the Antelope Valley Line and direct the CEO to coordinate with Metrolink in the pursuit of grant funding opportunities that focus on the offsetting of mobile source pollution in order to implement the pilot program, and;
F. Direct the CEO to work in partnership with Metrolink to engage appropriate state agencies and the private sector on additional strategies in order to implement the above directives and unlock the service potential of the Antelope Valley Line, in support of the integrated service goals laid out in the State Rail Plan.