Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JANUARY 19, 2022
Subject
SUBJECT: ALAMEDA STREET MOBILITY PROJECT STUDY REPORT/PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to award and execute a 12-month firm fixed price Task Order AE75285-5433000 under Countywide Planning and Development Bench Contract No. PS54330006 to Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for the Alameda Street Mobility Project Study Report/Project Development Report (PSR-PDS) in an amount of $1,119,015.68. Board approval of task order award is subject to resolution of all property submitted protest(s), if any.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is leading two funded active transportation projects along Alameda Street in downtown Los Angeles between 1st Street and Commercial Street (Eastside Access Improvements) and between Arcadia Street and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue (LA Union Station Forecourt and Esplanade Improvements). Once these two projects are constructed, there will be an active transportation gap on Alameda Street over the 101 overpass, between Commercial Street and Arcadia Street (Attachment A-Alameda Esplanade Gap).
During the LAUS Forecourt and Esplanade Improvements (LAUS FEI) environmental and stakeholder engagement process, Metro received consistent feedback from stakeholders, including the City of Los Angeles (City), regarding the need to explore strategies to close the active transportation gap along Alameda Street and improvements to the El Monte Busway. In response, Metro committed to prepare a PSR-PDS in partnership with the City and Caltrans.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro purchased LAUS in 2011 and shortly thereafter prepared the Union Station Master Plan (USMP) to transform Union Station into a world-class facility. Concurrently, Metro, in partnership with the City, County of Los Angeles (County), the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Caltrans and community stakeholders developed the Connect US Action Plan (Connect US). Connect US is a community-driven public improvement plan that prioritizes pedestrian and bicyclist connectivity to LAUS and the 1st/Central Regional Connector transit stations and the adjacent historic and culturally significant communities. Connect US identified a series of public improvements along Alameda Street, called the Alameda Esplanade, that extended from Chinatown to Little Tokyo.
Metro has taken the lead on implementing two segments of the Alameda Esplanade. The first segment is part of the Eastside Access Improvements, which is currently under construction, and extends between 1st Street and Commercial Street. The second segment is part of the LAUS FEI, which is scheduled to start construction in 2022, and extends between Arcadia Street and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue. Once these two segments of the Alameda Esplanade are in place, there will be an active transportation gap along Alameda Street between Commercial Street and Arcadia Street, over the US 101 overcrossing adjacent to the El Monte Busway.
With a focus on equity, community, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the PSR-PDS will explore improved multi-modal connectivity, safety, and movement across the Alameda Street/US-101 Overcrossing between LAUS and Little Tokyo and identify if there are any feasible improvements to freeway ramp facilities (including closing on/off ramps) around Union Station (Attachment B-Study Area).
DISCUSSION
A PSR-PDS is the Project Initiation Document selected for the Alameda Street Mobility Study and will evaluate potential concepts that can be advanced for further evaluation through the Project Approval/Environmental Document (PA/ED) phase. The PSR-PDS will be led by Metro in collaboration with the City and Caltrans, as the study area is located on both City and Caltrans right-of-way. This PSR-PDS will establish a well-defined purpose and need statement, define a project scope with a reliable cost estimate and a schedule to move forward with the PA/ED stage, if pursued by any or all participating agencies.
The PSR-PDS includes the following goals:
1. Close the Alameda Esplanade gap between Commercial Street and Arcadia Street/El Monte Busway with an accessible, comfortable, and safe facility for walking, biking, and rolling;
2. Improve multi-modal safety, movement, and operations for all modes around the El Monte Busway/US-101;
3. Improve mobility and safety of the local roadway operations and freeway, enhance accessibility, and accommodate transit connectivity and planned multi-modal access.
This PSR-PDS is anticipated to be completed within 12 months.
The PSR-PDS will be informed by Metro’s Equity Planning and Evaluation Tool, equity data collection (with ground-truthing), and targeted stakeholder engagement to inform the overall study and the final recommendations. As previously noted, Metro has committed to leading the PSR-PDS in collaboration with the City and Caltrans. Next steps, including implementation, will be defined with partner agencies as the PSR-PDS progresses.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The PSR-PDS will result in design options that will be focused on improved mobility for all users and safety around Los Angeles Union Station. Approval of this item will not impact the safety of Metro’s customers or employees.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Budget includes $500,000 in Cost Center 4530 (Transit Oriented Communities), Project 405557 (Union Station Master Plan). The source of the funds is Local funds. Since this is a multi-year contract, the cost center manager and Chief Planning Officer will be responsible for budgeting funds in future years.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD) established a 21% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and 3% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) goal for this solicitation. The proposed contractor team exceeded Metro’s small business goals by making a 26.35% Small Business Enterprise and 3.40% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DBVE) commitment. Staff will utilize Metro’s Equity Planning and Evaluation Tool to guide the overall approach including equity data collection, stakeholder engagement, and concept/alternative development. The PSR/PDS will build off the Connect US Action plan which included robust community engagement. The project team includes three CBOs, Los Angeles Walks, Little Tokyo Community Council, and La Plaza de Cultura y Arte, that have direct experience and expertise engaging and/or serving the communities within the study area.
The project team, inclusive of the CBOs, will prepare a stakeholder engagement strategy that is grounded in Metro’s Equity Platform to ensure that the stakeholder input informs the purpose and need and the criteria that informs the PSR-PDS alternatives. The stakeholder engagement strategy will help identify the most affected stakeholders that could benefit and/or be burdened from the project, with an attention to identifying communities of color and/or historically marginalized groups. The CBOs will be instrumental in informing assessment and engagement that helps identify how a future project could impact vulnerable populations including people of color, low-income individuals, small businesses (including legacy businesses), unhoused individuals, and at-grade transit riders (due to travel time delay).The data collection will be ground-truthed with communities, with extensive participation from CBOs, and will define a geographic area of influence, identify demographics of impacted areas or communities with attention to identifying existing disparities in race, ethnicity, and income, that may influence the proposal’s outcomes.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports:
• Strategic Plan Goal #1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling - The PSR-PDS aims to identify opportunities that will close the Alameda Esplanade gap for walking, biking, and rolling, improve access to LA Union Station, and improve overall mobility for all modes.
• Strategic Plan Goal #2: The PSR-PDS will provide options to deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system by improving multi-modal safety, movement, and operations around the El Monte Busway/US 101 and LAUS.
• Strategic Plan Goal #3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity by using equity, data, and stakeholder input to shape how the PSR-PDS can best improve mobility and increase access to opportunity.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve the recommended action. This option is not recommended since there will be an active transportation gap on Alameda Street between Arcadia and Commercial Streets after the construction of the Eastside Access Improvements and the LAUS FEI. Metro committed to partner in evaluating solutions to close this gap.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will execute Task Order No. AE75285-5433000 with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. to initiate the PSR-PDS.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Alameda Esplanade Gap Map
Attachment B - Alameda Street Mobility PSR-PDS Study Area
Attachment C - Procurement Summary
Attachment D - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Megan Nangle, Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2581
Elizabeth Carvajal, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-3084
Nick Saponara, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4313
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
Debra Avila, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 418-3051
