Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
MARCH 23, 2023
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS SANDOVAL, BARGER, HAHN, SOLIS, NAJARIAN, AND DUTRA
Legislative Advocacy and Funding Plans for Next Grant Cycle for Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Grant Application Motion
On December 1, 2022, the Metro Board unanimously (a) authorized the CEO to receive and file a report on Metro’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (“TIRCP”) Cycle 6 “Existing TIRCP Projects” prioritized ranking of projects based on project readiness and the equity platform policy; (b) authorized the CEO to send a letter of support for the prioritized projects signed by all Board members; and (c) approved the motion by Directors Solis, Sandoval, Garcetti, and Barger to direct the CEO to report back in February 2023 with an update on the results of TIRCP Cycle 6 awards for Existing TIRCP Projects and report back to the Board in March 2023 with funding plans that close the funding gaps for the prioritized projects that are awarded partial their full funding request through Cycle 6.
In addition, the Board also approved the motion by Director Dutra that the Board of Directors direct the CEO to support legislative and budget actions by the Governor and State Legislature to sustain their commitment to financially augment the TIRCP account consistent with SB198; to direct CalSTA to accelerate the next cycle of TIRCP grant funding; to address any structural reforms that may be needed to ensure Metro’s Existing TIRCP prioritized projects can continue to compete for those future funds; and to submit the Gold Line Eastside Extension as a candidate project for the $150 million in statewide Major Project - Project Development Reserve funding as part of the TIRCP Cycle 6.The TIRCP Cycle 6 Program funding application included: (1) East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project; (2) Metro L (Gold) Line Foothill Extension LRT Project; and (3) West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) Transit Corridor Project for the category of Existing TIRCP Projects based on the prioritized ranking which is based on project readiness and Equity Focused Community Policy. As the result of the Cycle 6 “Existing TIRCP Projects” funding award, the first priority project of East San Fernando Light Rail Transit Project received $600 million, the full funding amount sought for the project. The remaining two projects on the list continue to need a legislative advocacy and funding plans to complete and advance the projects.
The Metro L (Gold) Line Foothill Extension LRT Project will further regional connectivity by linking Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties along one of the most congested corridors in the region; serving disadvantaged and low-income communities in both counties. The project will improve mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emission by increasing transit opportunities for more than 3,000,000 trips being made within and through this corridor each day - only 3 percent are currently made by transit. It will terminate at the Montclair TransCenter; currently served by a dozen bus lines from throughout the Inland Empire operated by Foothill Transit, Omnitrans, RTA bus and bus rapid services, as well as Greyhound. And it will support completion of transit-oriented developments already planned at these two stations that will add more than 10,000 housing units within close proximity to the Metro system; and support tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff traveling to and from a dozen colleges and universities within a short walk, bike or bus ride of the project stations.
The initial segment of the West Santa Ana (WSAB) Transit Corridor Project connects the underserved, densely populated, low income and heavily transit-dependent communities between a new Slauson Station south to the City of Artesia in the the south-east section of Los Angeles County. The new northern station is located primarily within unincorporated Florence-Graham community and serving the cities of Vernon and Huntington Park. The Project will interphase with the existing Metro Rail system, with transfers to the A (Blue) Line and the C (Green) Line, and to the K (Crenshaw/LAX) Line and Los Angeles Union station with construction of the final WSAB.
Project segment in the future. This is an area rich with goods movement and manufacturing jobs related to the Ports. It is the next major Measure M transit project set to advance into construction and is currently in the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Project Development phase for a Capital Investment Grant (CIG). The WSAB is Metro’s #1 federal CIG priority and needs a Record of Decision (ROD) to move to the Engineering phase. which is scheduled to occur in early summer of 2024.
Subject
SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND FUNDING PLANS FOR NEXT GRANT CYCLE FOR TRANSIT AND INTERCITY RAIL CAPITAL PROGRAM (TIRCP) GRANT APPLICATION MOTION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Directors Sandoval, Barger, Hahn, Solis, Najarian, and Dutra that:
A. The Metro Board reaffirms its December 2022 board action pertaining to the prioritized existing TIRCP eligible projects and now recognizes the Foothill Gold Line to Montclair (FGLM) and the West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) as Metro’s first and second priority projects, respectively, for any funding made available to existing TIRCP projects through current and/or future TIRCP cycles as well as for SB 198 funding;
WE FURTHER DIRECT THE CEO TO:
B. Provide further detail about the specific competitive, formula, and local funding programs that FGLM and WSAB are eligible for, and continue dialogue with project stakeholders, community and agency partners to identify and pursue any and all appropriate sources of funding or FGLM and WSAB;
C. Provide a robust legislative advocacy strategy advocacy strategy that complements and align with project key milestones, including the completion of the final EIR discussions with local jurisdictions, Caltrans, Port of Los Angeles, and Port of Long Beach, and the FTA’s ROD for the WSAB;
D. Report back on the Board in September 2023 or earlier as the legislative advocacy and funding plans are made available.