Transportation
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CITY OF LOS ANGELES INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE Date: March 24, 2008 To: Th Honora le Ci;ty Council From: . R · on, General Manager Department of Transportation SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING PROPOSED METRO JUNE 2008 BUS SERVICE CHANGES (CF 08·0350) The purpose of this report is to provide the City Council with supplemental information concerning proposed bus transit service changes to be implemented by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in June 2008. The Department's original report on this matter, dated March 7, 2008, included a summary provided by Metro of all proposed service changes that were under consideration as part of the public hearing process conducted by Metro in February 2008 (CF 08-0350). Based on input from the public hearing process, Metro staff has subsequently submitted modified recommendations for consideration by the five Metro Service Sector Governance Councils (Westside/Central, South Bay, San Gabriel Valley, Gateway Cities and San Fernando Valley). The five Metro Service Sector Governance Councils met in early March 2008 to consider the staff's recommended service changes and approved a package of service changes that in some cases modified, postponed or eliminated proposed cuts in service. Attachment 1 of this report is an updated summary provided by Metro that illustrates the original list of proposed service changes considered as part of the public hearing process, along with Metro staff's revised recommendations and the actions taken by the five Metro Service Sector Governance Councils. As mentioned above, the actions taken by the five Sector Governance Councils differ in a number of cases from the original and revised proposed changes by Metro staff. Attachment 2 is a summary prepared by the Department of Transportation (LADOT) of the actions taken by the Metro Sector Governance Councils that affect transit service in the City of Los Angeles. LADOT has identified the respective Council Districts affected by each of the approved service changes and has provided summary comments as to the general severity of the impacts on riders. As discussed in the Department's March 7, 2008 report, Metro's proposed June 2008 bus service changes are designed to help reduce its projected budget deficit and expand the operation of its Rapid Bus Program (including the operation of six new lines TRANSPORTATION MAR 2 8 2008 Honorable City Council 2 March 24, 2008 Metro Bus Service Changes 08-0350 and the expansion of frequency and span of service on three other lines) by significantly reducing the hours of local transit services operated. The Department understands the need for Metro to reduce its operating budget to address projected shortfalls. The City is facing its own financial shortfall, and also faces tough decisions concerning potential reductions in service. However, LADOT is concerned about aspects of Metro's approach to reduce service levels. We support Metro's strategy to judiciously reduce the number of trips on selected routes to more effectively meet demand. However, we do have concerns about Metro's proposals to cancel certain lower performing routes. While some of these local routes proposed for curtailment or elimination are also served by alternative services, there are a number of routes in the City which appear to provide vitally needed transit service to schools, businesses and residents and have no viable alternatives available. While the City is encouraged to see that Metro is planning to expand its successful Rapid Bus Program, we are concerned that Metro is using local service cuts to redirect resources to expand the Rapid Bus Program. In some cases, it appears that Metro is converting scheduled limited stop lines to high frequency, headway-based Rapid Bus lines in corridors that are unlikely to produce the amount of ridership necessary to support them. As the primary transit provider in Los Angeles City and County, it is important that Metro maintains lifeline service coverage throughout its service area so that transit riders can readily access the regional transit system. Enhancing the regional Rapid Bus Program at the expense of canceling local lines with no viable alternative service available will negatively impact the mobility of many transit-dependent riders. Further, this may also have the undesirable impact of forcing persons with disabilities from the fixed route transit system to the more costly Access Services, Inc. (ASI) program. Based in part on significant input from the public, the Metro Sector Governance Councils have approved service changes this month that attempt to minimize the impacts on riders, including the modification or elimination of selected proposed service cuts. In other cases, selected proposed service cuts were postponed pending coordination with other jurisdictions. Attachments 1 and 2 summarize the actions taken by the Metro Sector Governance Councils. It is unclear at this point whether these approved service cuts for June 2008 meet Metro's overall target for reduction in service hours and whether additional service cuts will have to be considered by the Metro Sector Governance Councils and/or the Metro Board. Attachments ATTACHMENT 1 METRO SUMMARY OF PROPOSED AND APPROVED BUS SERVICE CHANGES FOR JUNE 2008 JUNE 2008 SERVICE CHANGES ORIGINAL PROPOSAL REVISED PROPOSAL Sector Tine Line Name Une Type rigina! Proposal Revised Propo.sal Acti<m bySGC Downtown LA • W Hollywood via Temple St Cancel late night and Owl service Propose to operate servite from 4:00 am we 10 & Melrose Ave LOC<!I Tier 1 to 11:00 p.m. ___ _ _ __ I;:•I_CanceiOwl servj~ _Propose to operate servi.ee from 4:00a.m. to 12:30 a.m. 'Cancellate night and Owl service. Propose to operate service from 4:00 a.m. "'"'"'"' we 14 Downtown lA · Beverly HiiJs via Beverly 81 local Tier 1 :to 11:00 p.m. :· Cancel Owl service. Propose to operate seMce from 4:00a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Not Approved Downtown LA -Fairfax-Washing\0!1 via Cancellate night and Owl service. Propose to cp<!rnte service from 4:00 a.m. Adams Btvd local 1 :to 11:00 p.m. !Cancel Owl service. Propose to operate se!Vice from 4:00a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Apj)roved :we 31 ----- T~er I ; Downtown LA-Fairfax-Washington via :cancel !ate night and Owl service. Propose to operate service from 4:00 a.m. Propose to operate seMce from 4:00a.m.: we 38 iJefferson Stvd. Local Tier 1 !to 11:00 p.m. ""~"' we 220 !w Hollywood ..Culver City via Robertson Local Tier 3 ;Service to be cam:eled due to km ridership. Not Approved. Deferred to Dec. 08 Blvd~ ---· [Pico/Rimpau -M:>nterey Part< via Pioo Blvd. & I we 330 !East 1st$L Umi!ed Tier 1 ·Service on Une 33<l to be replaced with new Metro Rapid Une 730. Approved Rapid Tier 1 ' Improve frequency and span of service a$ required by (;{lnsent Decree. we --·-~-!~---~~ lA- Beverly Hills via Beverty Bl - --·---- Approved Downtown lA -Picc/Rimpau via Pico Blvd. 1 NEW LINE 730 !Metro Rapid Approved we --------+-'""'"'pid Tier 1 wvice t~_:_~~~~-~-~~-~~~ ~o_!ll_~~~ lA~~~~-~-~ /l.arina Del Ray-City of Commerce via ieancel service west ofFo~ Hills Transit Center to Marina de! Rey, sa 1081358 Slauson Ave Local Tier 1 finclude Culver City 2. Big Blue Bus 14, and Metro Une 110 Approved Extend route from Playa Vista to southem Marina del Rey; cancel service lrewn by staff but may be considered for future implementation. sa of Garfiekl Ave.; alternative service provided by Bell Gan:lens Trolley. with alternative providers will continue Approved )cancel Una 315 and rep!ace with rnlW Une 715; reduce service frequency on SB ;une 115. Approved Cancel Sunday service, alternatives include the Metro Green line and Une sa 117 on Cenhlry. Approved ,Service to be canceled. Aftematives include Une 125 on Rosecrans and the SB Approved l~~Gr~~~ ten route to new north terminal at Crenshaw Green Una Station. iService to be canceled. Alternatives inc!ude Une 125 on Rosecrans, line 21 fing service via 120lh Street and Hawthorne BMI., to Hawthorne Green , ..v. - Approved sa ~-~· )0!1 Crenshaw, and line 40 on Hawthorne Station. I ·- -~ ·- ----------- -------·· ! ' Cancel service sooth of Del Amo Blvd. to Wilmington. Continue service north j via 'Service to be canceled. Alternatives includelJle Metro Blue Une, Une 205on of Del Amo StWon to ~mpton and Willowbrook. induding se!\Fice to DPSS I /Willowbroo!<.·~mpton-Wi!minton SB 202 !Willowbrook Ave. Local Tier 3 :Wilmington Ave., lJle Hahn Trol!ey, ami Compton Renaissance to new shopping center. -------'" -----!---~---- Approved :ancel midday service and cancel all service sooth of Imperial Highway via to Gardena and via Normand!e Ave .• and Imperia! Hwy., to !WilshireiWestem Station-Gardena via Van j lse!V\ce to be canceled. Anematives inc!ude Une 210 on Crenshaw Blvd. and Une Station. Establish new soullt terminal at Crenshaw sa --:______ 209 L_________ !Ness Ave. !l----------- local Tier 3 !'Line----------------------·----·-·--·--··--·---- 207 on Western Ave. ~ hour service north to Wilshirei'Westem Station _ _ L______ , Approved .;th~der ~~s. o~;.;;~g~~ry -60 minutes mst;d ~~-! '!Inglewood-South Bay Galleria via Prairie Ave i ~Service to be canceled. Alternatives include Une 40 oo Hawthorne Blvd. and iSB 30 minutes l Approved 211015 TI& 3 I'"' '"'''-"""IA"'------~---1' .':"".' :li"~""'""""-"'"' ~"'----~- ... - iLA Unioo Station -LAX Trnnsit Center iMdday and weekend service to be cance!ed. Altematives inc!ude Unes 42 SB 439 ;Express via 1-110 Fwy. Express Tier 2 )and 110 in La<lero and Culver City 6on Sepulveda. -~~-~---,---~-~------ -~-------·~-·-·-- -~------------·- --~- - i'' .. -- ""~"' 1 I IDowntown L.A. ·West Tommce Rolfir.g Hills-! !Midday and weekend service to be canceled north of Artesia Trnnsit Center·l SB 444 !Rancho Palos Ve«tes Express ! Express Tier 2/be replaced with expanded line 450X.