Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
MAY 27, 2021
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS HAHN, SOLIS, BUTTS, AND DUTRA
I-710 South Corridor Project
Metro, the California Transportation Agency (Caltrans), and the corridor cities have studied the I-710 South Corridor Project for over a decade, with goals of reducing goods movement congestion and improving air quality and mobility for communities along the corridor.
The Project is a high priority for goods movement, as the I-710 directly links the broader region with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which combined account for 40% of the nation’s imports.
Three years ago, the Metro Board approved Alternative 5C as the Locally Preferred Alternative, at an estimated cost of $6 billion. The Board also voted to limit property impacts, ensure local hiring priorities, and prioritize an Early Action Program. Further, Motion 5.1 doubled the size of the Zero Emissions Truck program to $200 million and called for a Zero Emissions truck lane. Once the Board approved the Project, staff sought Federal environmental clearance in order to be eligible for Federal funding.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a letter dated March 25, 2021 and addressed to Metro CEO Phil Washington and Caltrans District 7 Director Tony Tavares, stated that “a PM [Particulate Matter] hot-spot analysis is necessary for the project’s transportation conformity determination.” That analysis has not yet been conducted for this Project, and the Project cannot receive Federal funding until a hot-spot analysis is conducted and meets Federal requirements.
At the California Transportation Commission’s May 12, 2021 meeting, Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin stated “I don’t see how we can move forward with the I-710 South Corridor Project in its current format” and that the Metro Board “may have to take another vote on this particular project.”
Without Federal and State support and funding for the I-710 South Corridor Project in its current form, there is insufficient funding to proceed with Alternative 5C as approved by the Board. However, the status of the project and Metro’s and Caltrans’ recommended approach for addressing the ongoing goods movement, air quality, and mobility needs along this corridor remains unclear.
Subject
SUBJECT: I-710 SOUTH CORRIDOR PROJECT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Directors Hahn, Solis, Butts, and Dutra that the Board direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Board in July 2021 on:
1. Why the EPA concluded the project does not meet conformity requirements and why Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin stated that Caltrans cannot support the Project “in its current format”;
2. Identify what elements of the Project can either be moved forward or modified in order to get State and Federal support, including but not limited to: price-managed freeway lanes, zero emissions-only truck lanes, short- and long-haul rail, Atlantic Avenue bus rapid transit, Metrolink capital and service improvements, and State and Federal funding for near-zero and zero-emissions goods movement investments earmarked for the I-710 South Corridor;
3. If inclusion of some or all of the elements in Directive 2 above will be enough to get State and Federal support for the Project or if it needs to be reimagined entirely; and,
4. A plan for re-engaging cities and stakeholders along the corridor.