Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
Subject
SUBJECT: 2020 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN REQUEST FOR ADOPTION
Action
ACTION: APPROVE ADOPTION OF 2020 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
APPROVING the following:
A. ADOPT the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan; and
B. APPROVE the development of a Short Range Transportation Plan, to include a strategic project list.
Issue
ISSUE
The 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (“2020 LRTP”, Attachment A) details how Metro plans, builds, operates, maintains and partners for improved mobility in the next 30 years. Given the challenges facing Los Angeles County, there is also a compelling opportunity to demonstrate the long-term benefits of bold policies to address the need for improved access to opportunity and a more sustainable future.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro must adopt a financially constrained LRTP in order to remain eligible to receive federal and state funding. In September 2017, staff began work to update the 2009 LRTP, following the passage of Measure M, and in alignment with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) process for updating the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). Metro’s LRTP demonstrates how Los Angeles County transportation projects conform with the state and federal air quality mandates for funding eligibility. The technical detail for the 2020 LRTP is included in the 2020 LRTP Technical Document (Attachment B).
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Strategies
The main strategy areas for the 2020 LRTP are: Better Transit; Less Congestion; Complete Streets; and Access to Opportunity. The projects, programs and policies that support and advance these strategies are detailed within the document. Together, these efforts will increase transit ridership and improve air quality.
The 2020 LRTP is a funded plan and forecast that examines how Metro’s future transportation investments can be leveraged to achieve maximum mobility benefits for all of Los Angeles County. Building infrastructure will create economic benefits, but the LRTP also looks to maximize the mobility benefits, the environmental benefits, and the benefits of improved opportunities access. To do this, the LRTP emphasizes bold policies and close partnerships to incentivize more efficient use of the transportation system.
Public Engagement
The Board approved the release of the Draft 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (Draft 2020 LRTP) for public review and comment in May 2020. The forty-five (45) day public comment period ended July 13, 2020.
Staff conducted extensive public outreach in unprecedented pandemic conditions. All public meetings were virtual, and a live webinar was also recorded for on-demand streaming. Additional efforts were made to reach the public as directly as possible. The public engagement effort, detailed in Attachment B (p.6) includes:
• Metro’s most successful Telephone Town Hall, which contacted 100,000 individual telephone numbers;
• More than 23,000 postcards mailed to Equity Focus Communities;
• More than 15 million social media and online advertising impressions, the majority of which targeted underserved communities;
• Almost 2.5 million direct emails; and
• Printed posters on all bus and rail lines.
These efforts resulted in more than 130,000 visits to the 2020 LRTP and related information at OurNext.LA. The comments received through the website or submitted directly to Metro have been addressed and incorporated where appropriate. The comments received and corresponding responses are included as Attachment C.
The majority of public comments can be summarized in the following topic areas:
• Strong support for expanded transit;
• Safety and security recommendations;
• Homelessness concerns;
• Support for roadway enhancements;
• Support for active transportation and complete streets;
• Concern about the implications and unknowns surrounding COVID-19;
• Many project-specific comments and requests (e.g., projects completed sooner, alignment comments, etc.);
• Comments about modal prioritization and regional prioritization of funding;
• Comments about equity; and
• Comments about fare policy and congestion pricing.
Comments from public agencies were similar, but were primarily focused on:
• Future funding questions; and
• Future strategic project recommendations.
LRTP Supplemental Information
In response to the comments received, the LRTP was revised to include additional detail and refinements. An index of those changes is included as Attachment D.
Technical Document
The LRTP Technical Document (Attachment B) contains a variety of data and additional detail for the actions and assumptions in the 2020 LRTP. Some of the elements the Technical Document provides include: public engagement metrics; project and program descriptions; subregional demographics and travel patterns; travel demand model analysis and assumptions; performance measures; and financial forecast details and assumptions.
Equity Platform
The 2020 LRTP was developed through extensive public engagement based on the “Listen and Learn” pillar of the Equity Platform. The LRTP was drafted during 2 years of continuous pubic engagement, which included more than 100 community events and public meetings, and more than 60,000 survey responses and priority rankings. Following the release of the draft LRTP, staff continued to engage stakeholders throughout the County (Attachment B, p. 12).
The remaining three pillars are all addressed within the 2020 LRTP, including but not limited to: Define and Measure, through the Equity Focus Community metrics; Focus and Deliver, though the program and project actions; and Train and Grow, in Metro’s ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for access across all facets of Metro’s roles (e.g., employer, builder, partner, funder, etc.). The 2020 LRTP also introduced Metro’s definition of Equity, and related action items, as part of the public comment period for the draft LRTP.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
This item does not have a direct impact on safety, but it does address Metro’s commitment to improve safety.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item has no fiscal impact to the agency.
Impact to Budget
Activities associated with completing the LRTP update are budgeted in the current fiscal year and are within budget. The financially constrained plan is aligned with the FY21 budget and will be recalibrated with future Board actions.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The 2020 LRTP includes and advances all five goals of Vision 2028, which calls for the LRTP to “operationalize” its strategic plan initiatives. The LRTP relationship to Vision 2028 is described in Figure 7 of the 2020 LRTP (Attachment A, p.25). Most specifically, the LRTP advances the performance outcome from the Strategic Plan of increasing all non-solo driving mode share. The LRTP provides strategies that would increase transit trips up to 81%.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Metro Board can choose to delay adoption of the 2020 LRTP and continue to use the 2009 LRTP. However, to ensure that the public engagement effort remains relevant, timely with SCAG’s RTP/SCS development, and consistent with stakeholder input and the Equity Platform, the Board should consider adopting as soon as possible. This would allow staff to move forward and focus on the development of a shorter term action plan, based on the LRTP priorities.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
After the recommended adoption of the 2020 LRTP, staff will begin work on an action plan, in the form of a Short Range Transportation Plan (SRTP). The SRTP would recommend near-term implementation steps over a ten-year timeframe and allow for any needed recalibrations from the current COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the comments received from several agencies was the need to add strategic projects (Attachment C). The first steps of the SRTP effort will be reassessing the financial forecast for the short-term horizon, and engaging partners on their strategic project needs to create a strategic project list.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan
Attachment B - 2020 LRTP Technical Document
Attachment C - LRTP Public Comment Response Matrix
Attachment D - Summary of Draft LRTP Revisions
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Rena Lum, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-6963
Mark Yamarone, DEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3452
Kalieh Honish, EO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7109 David Mieger, SEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-3040
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
