Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 19, 2020
Subject
SUBJECT: EASTSIDE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PHASE 2
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
a. Proceeding with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) only for the project's environmental process;
b. Withdrawing the SR 60 and Combined Alternatives from further consideration in the environmental study;
c. Preparing a feasibility study independent from the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project to evaluate other options that better serve the needs of the San Gabriel Valley; and
d. Approving the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Title VI Service Equity Analysis.
Issue
ISSUE
Measure M allocates $6 billion to the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project (Project) to be programmed in two cycles. Cycle 1 identifies $3 billion for one alignment with a 2029 groundbreaking date and an opening date of 2035. Cycle 2 identifies $3 billion with a 2053 groundbreaking date and an opening date of 2057. The Project is currently in the environmental review process pursuant to the CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) with three build alternatives under study to support the adoption of a Locally Preferred Alternative. These three alternatives (SR 60, Washington, and Combined Alternatives as described in this report) were approved for study by the Board in May 2017 (Legistar #2017-0154). This Project is one of the four pillar projects identified by the Board for acceleration efforts to be completed in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles (Motion 32.4, #2019-0108).
The recommendations in this Board Report would facilitate efforts for project acceleration. Discontinuing NEPA analysis would streamline the environmental study by not requiring federal reviews. The current environmental schedule includes NEPA and CEQA clearances of the three project alternatives as well as a no-build Alternative. Final environmental cle...
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