Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 20, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: I-605/VALLEY BOULEVARD INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THIRD-PARTY AGREEMENTS
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary agreements with third parties to complete the I-605 at Valley Boulevard Interchange Improvements Project.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro Highway Programs is developing final design plans for the I-605/Valley Boulevard Interchange Improvements Project (Attachment A). Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) have facilities/rights of way including an at-grade rail crossing on East Temple Avenue (Attachment B) adjacent to the interchange that need to be considered, protected and/or enhanced.
The City of Industry owns and operates the local streets within the limits of the interchange improvement project and has a project on East Temple Avenue that needs to be coordinated with the interchange project.
Third party agreements are needed to memorialize the responsibilities of and define the necessary coordination by all parties during the development and implementation of the interchange project.
BACKGROUND
I-605 is a major north-south interstate freeway in Los Angeles County used for interregional travel and goods movement. The I-605 Valley Boulevard interchange experiences significant congestion, heavy truck traffic and operational deficiencies that are forecast to exacerbate further without the planned improvements. The interchange project will reconfigure the on- and off-ramps to reduce congestion and improve the interchange and local arterial operations and safety.
The potential for vehicle/train/pedestrian conflicts on East Temple Avenue at the rail crossing is a major concern given the heavy truck traffic and the frequently traveled freeway, interchange and local arterials. To improve mobility, access and local traffic circulation in this area, the City of Industry is proposing to widen the roadway and channelize the lanes on East Temple Avenue, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LA County) is proposing to reconstruct the pavement on Valley Boulevard. Early coordination and staging of work with the railroads, the City of Industry and LA County will allow all parties to effectively coordinate all projects at this location.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Staff initiated the environmental and final design phases of the interchange project in November 2018, based on the project definition established in the I-605 and SR-60 Project Study Report-Project Development Support that was approved by Caltrans in 2015. In discussions with the City of Industry, LA County, SCRAA and UPRR, it was discovered that future street and railroad crossing improvements were planned at this location which could potentially impact or be impacted by the interchange improvements. Staff determined that detailed coordination of all projects was warranted at this time to avoid future risks and higher costs.
In July 2019, the project team convened a railroad field diagnostic meeting to assess existing traffic conditions at the East Temple Avenue rail crossing. Representatives from UPRR, SCRRA, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG), City of Industry, Caltrans, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LA County) and others were in attendance. Many roadway improvements, including traffic signal upgrades, railroad preemption signals and safety and pedestrian enhancements, were recommended at the rail crossing.
UPRR owns and operates the right-of-way (ROW) and track on the south side of the crossing, controls, operates and maintains the railroad track, structures, signals communications systems and appurtenances for the rail line known as the Los Angeles Subdivision. The East Temple Avenue rail crossing is in the Los Angeles Subdivision. UPRR will provide engineering support (plan reviews and approvals) and railroad design review services for the proposed rail crossing improvements on East Temple Avenue to accommodate the interchange project.
SCRRA owns and operates the ROW and track on the north side of the crossing, controls, operates and maintains the railroad track, structures, signals, communications systems and appurtenances on the rail line known as the San Gabriel Subdivision in the City of Industry. The East Temple Avenue rail crossing is in the San Gabriel Subdivision. SCRRA will provide railroad design review services that include document review/design support and signal design for the proposed rail crossing improvements on East Temple Avenue to accommodate the interchange project.
CPUC is the State Agency that oversees rail safety for freight, intercity and commuter railroads, rail transit and rail crossings. CPUC also administers safety oversight and enforcement of passenger carriers. The proposed rail crossing improvements should be consistent with current grade crossing standards that are regulated by the CPUC.
LA County has jurisdiction within the footprint of the interchange improvement project and is responsible for the design and construction of the Valley Boulevard pavement rehabilitation and other related engineering services.
Thec City of Industry also has jurisdiction within the footprint of the interchange improvement project and has a planned street improvement project on East Temple Avenue that interacts with both the interchange improvement project and the railroad crossing.
Continued coordination and collaboration with UPRR, SCRRA, CPUC, SGVCOG, City of Industry, Caltrans, and LA County is needed to implement the improvements that were identified during the railroad field diagnostic meeting. Effective design solutions will be pursued for this busy freeway interchange and the railroad crossing to ensure a well-coordinated, safe, and efficient roadway traffic and railroad operating system. This work will include track and switch cross-over modifications; design of new sensors and relays to support preemption signal timing; and design of signal interconnect systems.
Funding agreements will be executed with UPRR, SCRRA, and other third parties, as necessary, to reimburse the costs of their engagement in support of the development of the interchange project.
The Project will not result in any displacements. Temporary and permanent construction easements (TCEs) will be required for construction of the Project and post-construction maintenance of freeway and railroad improvements, respectively. Permanent partial right-of-way acquisitions will be from commercial property and for the widening of Temple Avenue by the City of Industry and safety improvements in the railroad right-of-way. Permanent partial right-of-way acquisitions (highway and maintenance easements) along Valley Boulevard are for Caltrans’ use.
Right-of-way activities for the Project including determination of value and execution of agreements are scheduled for 2022.
EQUITY PLATFORM.
The proposed action is anticipated to address community needs through an engagement process and achieving equitable outcomes for all users, which are high priorities for all agency project partners. All agency project partners will continue to support outreach efforts that may include, but are not limited to, community meetings/activities; stakeholder briefings/presentations; round table discussions; multi-lingual mailers/postcards, notices; virtual meetings; website posts and email distribution; and social media, as needed, to inform the project development process.
The proposed action is also anticipated to support goods movement; reduce the potential for pedestrian, cyclists, motorists, and passenger/freight train conflicts; and provide better access to employment centers, markets, educational and healthcare facilities, and parks and recreations centers throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
The Project will include signalized intersections with painted/delineated crosswalks and pedestrian crossing indicators (push buttons); lighting to enhance public safety and security; and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant pathways and other related ADA infrastructure (curb ramps, sidewalks, driveways, and auto pedestrian signals for the sight and hearing impaired). In addition, the Project will include upgraded ADA compliant pedestrian facilities (pedestrian barricades, gates, handrails and fencing) along East Temple Avenue to positively channelize and direct pedestrians through the at-grade rail crossing; pedestrian gates with flashers and tactile warning strips to restrict and prohibit pedestrian movements onto the railroad tracks when trains are approaching; vehicular railroad crossing gates; raised and/or longer medians to reduce the potential for wrong-way drivers to attempt to bypass the railroad crossing gates; and pre-signal pedestrian and vehicular signal phases at the Temple/Valley intersection to clear traffic away from the rail crossing.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The proposed action has no known adverse impact on the safety of Metro’s patrons and employees or users of the facility.
.Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
For FY22, $755,000 has been budgeted in the I-605 Valley Interchange Improvement Project # 460348, Highway Program Cost Center 4730. No increase to the FY22 budget is needed at this time. Staff will work with the existing Fiscal Year Highway budget to fund the additional effort recommended herein.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Project Manager, the Cost Center Manager, and the Senior Executive Officer, Program Management - Highway Program will be responsible for budgeting the remaining costs of the Project in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds will be Measure R Highway Capital (20%) Funds. These funds are not eligible for bus and rail operation and capital expenditures.
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The proposed project is consistent with the following Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan Goals:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling by alleviating the current operational deficiencies and improving mobility along the freeway mainline, local interchange and local arterials.
Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration by partnering with Caltrans, SGVCOG, LA County, City of Industry, UPRR, SCRRA and CPUC to identify needed improvements; and taking the lead in developing and implementing the interchange project.
.Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could decide not to approve staff’s recommendation. However, advancing work on the interchange project without input by and collaboration with third parties could result in potential design omissions and lead to long-term cost and schedule impacts.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will execute the necessary funding agreements with third parties to facilitate the completion of the design and ROW phases of the interchange project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - I-605/Valley Boulevard Interchange Improvements Project Area
Attachment B - East Temple Avenue Rail Crossing
Prepared by: Michelle Smith, Senior Director (213) 922-3057
Ernesto Chaves, Deputy Executive Officer (213) 418-3142
Abdollah Ansari, Senior Executive Officer (213) 922-4781
Reviewed by: Bryan Pennington, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7449
