Metro - File #: 2020-0027

• File #: 2020-0027
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 12/30/2019
• In control: Planning and Programming Committee
• On agenda: 2/19/2020
• 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.
• Sponsors: Planning and Programming Committee
• Indexes: Alignment, Alternatives analysis, Alternatives Analysis study approved by the Board, Atlantic Station, Budgeting, California Environmental Quality Act, Central Los Angeles subregion, Commerce, Construction, Draft EIS/EIR was published, East Los Angeles, Environmental Impact Report, Environmental impact statements, Equity Focus Communities, Federal Transit Administration, First/Last Mile, Funding plan, Gateway Cities (Southeast LA County) Service Sector, Gateway Cities subregion, Gold Line Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2, Guideways, I-605, Informational Report, Light rail vehicles, Maintenance, Maintenance facilities, Measure M, Measure R, Metro Equity Platform, Metro Gold Line, Metro Rail E Line, Metro Rail L Line, Metro Vision 2028 Plan, Minorities, Montebello, National Environmental Policy Act Of 1969, Operating speed, Pico Rivera, Professional Services, Project, Race and ethnicity, Ramps (Interchanges), Residential areas, San Gabriel, South El Monte, SR-60, Storage facilities, Strategic planning, Title VI Requirements, Transit Oriented Community, Westside/Central Service Sector, Whittier, Zoning
• Related files: 2022-0610

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...