CLAREMONT METROLINK STATION STUDY Claremont Town Hall Meeting December 11, 2017

1 Welcome

Larry Schroeder Claremont Mayor

2 Agenda

1. Introduction of Panelists 2. Background 3. Metro Board Motion - Metrolink Claremont Station 4. Goal and Purpose of the Meeting 5. Claremont Station Presentation 6. Q&A

3 Background

1. Metro in partnership with Southern California Regional Rail Authority and Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority has been invited by the City of Claremont to share the preliminary results of the Claremont Station Study and solicit your feedback.

2. To build the Gold Line Phase 2B project, existing freight/Metrolink train tracks must be relocated to a new location within the railroad corridor. The Gold Line Phase 2B EIR includes the relocation of the Claremont Metrolink Station. This study evaluated potential impacts and mitigations to Claremont if the Metrolink station is eliminated in lieu of relocation.

Goal and Purpose

1. Timely completion of this study is critical since the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority will soon hire its design-build team. The Claremont Station relocation or elimination issue must be resolved by early 2018 to be integrated into the design-build contract.

2. Your feedback will be incorporated into a recommendation which will be presented to the Metro Board at the January 17, 2018 Planning and Programming Board Committee Meeting.

3. Metro, Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (aka “Metrolink”) are committed to working together with the City of Claremont to identify the best path forward.

Introduction of Panelists

Name Agency

Sam Pedroza , Council Member City of Claremont Colin Tudor, Assistant City Manager Jeanet Owens, Senior Executive Officer, Regional Rail Los Angeles County Metropolitan Frank Ching, Deputy Executive Officer, Operational Transportation Authority (Metro) Programs, Countywide Planning & Development

Chris Burner, Chief Project Officer Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Roderick Diaz, Director, Planning Southern California Regional Rail Justin Fornelli, Director, Engineering & Construction Authority (SCRRA or Metrolink)

6 Metro Board Motion 21.1

On September 28, 2017, Metro Board Directors Solis, Barger, Fasana, and Najarian introduced a Board motion directing staff to study the potential benefits and impacts of eliminating the Claremont Metrolink Station. The study includes the following tasks: 1. Ridership - Current and projected ridership at 7. Impacts and potential mitigations to the the Metrolink Claremont station under existing City of Claremont if it becomes the Gold conditions (without Gold Line Phase 2B). Line terminus with and without a Metrolink 2. Metrolink Operations - Impacts to Metrolink Station scenario. operations and travel times with the 8. Parking - Total parking spaces and current elimination of the Metrolink station. parking utilization rate at the co-located 3. Analysis of changes to gate operations at all Metrolink and proposed Gold Line stations crossings in Claremont if the Metrolink station (Pomona North, Claremont and Montclair is eliminated. stations). 4. Analysis of when Metrolink service would be 9. Determine the formal process by which to discontinued in Claremont during Gold Line eliminate a Metrolink station, should that construction, and length of time during which local station city agree. no rail transit options would be available in 10. Include City of Claremont staff in the Claremont. project team during all phases of the study 5. Gold Line Phase 2B - Cost savings associated 11. Report back to the Board within 60 days with the construction of the Gold Line Phase with a final report, findings and 2B. recommendations after presenting the 6. Impacts and potential mitigations to draft to the City of Claremont (extension Metrolink riders that currently board at the was approved to January 2018) Claremont station. 7 Distances between Metrolink Stations on the San Bernardino Line (SBL)

Stations Distance (miles) San Bernardino to Rialto 3.7 Rialto to Fontana 3.8 Fontana to Rancho Cucamonga 7 Compared to Rancho Cucamonga to Upland 5 distances Upland to Montclair 2.8 between other (Connection To Transit Center) stations on the Montclair to Claremont 1.2 SBL, the (0.9 miles to future relocated station) Claremont station is 1 to 2 miles Claremont to Pomona (North) 2.1 (2.3 miles from future relocated station) from the Montclair and Pomona (North) to Covina 8 Pomona (North) Covina to Baldwin Park 4.1 stations Baldwin Park to El Monte 6.3 El Monte to Cal State LA 8 Cal State LA to Union Station 4.6 Source: SCRRA 8 TASK 1 Claremont Station Boardings AVERAGE WEEKDAY STATION BOARDINGS

FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY25* CLAREMONT 415 402 394 400 397 406 482 * 2025 projection from Metrolink Strategic Plan Note: Foothill Gold Line forecasts 1361 Metrolink boardings without the Gold Line and 1162 boardings with the Gold Line by 2035

SAN BERNARDINO LINE STATION BOARDINGS FY17 RANCHO CUCAMONGA 719 COVINA 708 SAN BERNARDINO 665 CAL STATE LA 567 POMONA NORTH 534 UPLAND 511 FONTANA 493 CLAREMONT 406 EL MONTE 328 MONTCLAIR 322 BALDWIN PARK 314 RIALTO 241

9 Source: SCRRA - Ticket sales data TASK Claremont Station Average Weekday 1 Ridership Profile

Claremont Station as Trip Origin / Destination Profile of 406 Passengers

175 Destination 32% XX% XX% (128 riders)a XX origin destinationXX% Origin 43% % XX% 68% (278 riders)b 74 54 18% 33 18 21 19 12 8% 13% 4% 5% 5% 3% ADULT SENIOR / STUDENT YOUTH DISABLED

a. 65% (85 out of 128 riders) go to Claremont for work b. 84% (235 out of 278 riders) go to LA or elsewhere for work

Source: SCRRA - 2015 Onboard Survey 10 TASK Claremont Station Average Weekday 1 Ridership Profile Station Access/Departure

70% (285 riders) drive to or 25% (102 riders) 5% (19 riders )arrive at or depart the station by car walk/bike to or from the leave the station by bus station or other means

s Unable Unable to s s No car s to drive, drive, 8% ss available, 8% 2% No car s available, 15%

I have a car I have a car available, 77% available, 90%

Source: SCRRA - 2015 Onboard Survey 11

TASK Impacts of Eliminating the Claremont Metrolink Station 2 to Metrolink Operations and Travel Times 1. No travel time saved and negligible impacts to Metrolink Operations due to constraints by single track infrastructure on either side of Claremont. Trains need to “meet” at double track sections a. 70% of the San Bernardino Line is single track b. Spacing between double track sections affects whether a travel time reduction can be incorporated into the schedule c. In this case, reduction needs to be >10 minutes to realize a schedule savings 2. Therefore, only early morning trains and last 2 night trains saves approximately 2-3 minutes of travel time

12 Source: SCRRA 12

TASK Analysis of changes to gate operations at crossings in 3 Claremont if the Metrolink station is eliminated Gate Down Timea (Minutes per Peak Hourb)

Future Condition Existing Future Condition Railroad Grade Gold Line with Condition Gold Line with Relocated Crossingsc Metrolink Station Metrolink Station Eliminated

d Indian Hill 9 minutes 11 minutes 5 minutes College 9 minutes 30 minutes 27 minutes Claremont 11 minutes 35 minutes 30 minutes Number of 4 Metrolink 6 Metrolink trains 6 Metrolink trains trains during trains 24 Gold Line trains 24 Gold Line trains peak hour a. Gate down times are estimates and could change with final design and project implementation b. Peak hour is from 6 AM to 7 AM and from 5 PM to 6 PM c. Cambridge Avenue will not be impacted by the station relocation or elimination due to its distance from the Station d. Gold Line tracks will be grade separated at Indian Hill

13 Sources: SCRRA and City of Claremont TASK If Metrolink Station is Eliminated 4 Period of No Rail Service to City of Claremont Approximately 5 years with no rail service if Metrolink Station is not reconstructed as planned (from end of 2021 to opening Gold Line Phase 2B in 2027)

Source: Foothill Gold Line 14

TASK Cost/Time Savings to Gold Line Phase 2B 5 Without Metrolink Claremont Station Eliminating the Metrolink station could: 1. Save 5 (five) months from the Gold Line Phase 2B construction schedule 2. Reduce the Gold Line Phase 2B cost by approximately $40 million (not including parking)

Source: Foothill Gold Line 15 TASK Impacts and Measures of Metrolink Station Elimination 6 to Riders during construction of Gold Line Phase 2B

IMPACTS MEASURES TO ADDRESS IMPACTS – Not all impacts can be fully addressed

Riders can connect to the Montclair Metrolink station (1.2 miles) by bus, car, or bike b Metrolink regular roundtrip fares: • Claremont to Union Station = $18.50 • Montclair to Union Station = $ 19.50 Loss of direct rail connection Take a free courtesy shuttle provided by the Foothill Gold Line Authority from Claremont from Claremont station to Montclair station (cost to Gold Line Authority = $400,000/year) to San • Current total travel time to LA with Metrolink = 55 minutes Bernardino • Estimated total travel time with shuttle service = 66 minutes stations and other Drive a car to Montclair station c destinations for • Current total travel time to LA with Metrolink = 55 minutes five years a • Estimated total travel time including drive time to Montclair = 64 minutes

Ride a bike to Montclair station • Current total travel time to LA with Metrolink = 55 minutes • Estimated total travel time including bike ride to Montclair = 66 minutes

Notes: a. Over 400 riders currently use the Claremont station, and the Gold Line forecasts Metrolink ridership at 1,162 by 2035 b. Approx. 102 riders access the station by walking or biking and may lose that option if the station is eliminated c. Riders may drive to their destination increasing net vehicle miles traveled

Sources: City of Claremont and SCRRA 16 TASK Post Construction Conditions 6

Source: Metro 17 TASK Impacts & Measures to City of Claremont if 7 it is a Gold Line Terminus General Impacts of Terminus Tourism Increased visitors to Claremont/increased patronage to Claremont businesses Being the terminus is one more reason for people from the west to come to Claremont Traffic Additional vehicle trips from commuters traveling from the east to board the Gold Line Additional vehicle traffic will impact neighborhoods Parking Increase in the overflow of parking on to City streets based on an increase in ridership and Metro’s paid parking plan Need for a larger parking structure than if not the terminus, which could end up being largely empty in the future, should the line be later continued - as in Phase 1 of the Gold Line (Sierra Madre Station) Train Crossings Increased vehicle stacking concerns at train crossings and intersections surrounding the project Claremont Boulevard crossing improvements will likely not be constructed. The gate equipment will also not be replaced and may not function in the same manner as the other street crossings in Claremont. Rail Transit Options Loss of commuter rail and potential Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) in Claremont Other While not a specific impact to Claremont, the EIR for the Gold Line only contemplated Claremont as a temporary terminus. If Claremont is to be the permanent or long-term terminus, the EIR may need to be reopened or amended to study these and other impacts.

Possible Measures to Address Impacts a. Connect First Street to Monte Vista Avenue to focus additional trips from the east to First Street b. Additional study and potentially reconfiguration of First Street and Claremont Boulevard to move more vehicles through smoothly, especially from the east c. Location of Gold Line track switches, which transition trains to head back west, may be configured to lessen impacts on College Avenue gate operations d. Implement parking management strategies Source: City of Claremont 18 TASK Additional Impacts & Measures to City of Claremont if 7 it is a Gold Line Terminus with/without Metrolink

With Metrolink a. Allows transfer option between Gold Line and Metrolink b. Construction impacts due to relocation of Metrolink tracks and station as part of Gold Line Construction

Without Metrolink Station a. Smaller parking structure b. Impacts to riders of Metrolink - need to travel to other stations to board c. No transfer option between systems in Claremont d. Shorter construction period for Gold Line e. Reduce traffic from Metrolink riders f. Relocation of underpass to College Park further west

Possible Measures to Address Impacts a. Metrolink Ticket Vending Machine at Claremont b. Additional way-finding directing commuters to Montclair and Pomona Metrolink stations

19 Source: City of Claremont TASK Additional Impacts to the City of Claremont 7 if the Metrolink Station is Eliminated

a. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) has been designed to have multiple modes of transit service available to residents b. Loss of walkability from Village and TOD to Metrolink Station

c. Significant disabled and elderly population and a training center for the visually impaired nearby will lose access to Metrolink without transfers, reducing and hampering mobility

d. Reduces rail transit options in Claremont to only one system e. Loss of Metrolink fieldtrip opportunities into Los Angeles for local students f. While Pomona and Montclair may be a short distance from the station in Claremont, that distance adds to the first mile/last mile from the Claremont station. Riders will increase their first/last by 3- 4 miles, which dramatically reduces the connectivity to the Claremont community and locations such as the Village, Claremont Colleges, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens, etc. Source: City of Claremont 20 TASK Existing Metrolink Parking Utilization at 8 Co-located Stations Average Number of Parking Spaces Occupied

Parking Spaces FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 Station Available 300 300 300 279 279 Pomona North 300 100% 100% 100% 93% 93% 383 374 268 299 299 Claremont 440 87% 85% 61% 68% 68% 1028 1065 1083 1157 1157 Montclair 1836 56% 58% 59% 63% 63%

Source: SCRRA 21 TASK Claremont Station Modeling Results 8

Four different scenarios were assessed for the Claremont Gold Line Station with and without Metrolink

Claremont Station Parking Demand Scenarios Parking Demanda Base Scenario: Claremont is a mid-point 539 suburban station with a Metrolink station Alternative Scenario 1: Claremont is a mid-point 461 suburban station without a Metrolink station Alternative Scenario 2: Claremont is a terminus 831 station with a Metrolink station Alternative Scenarios 3: Claremont is a terminus 763 station without a Metrolink station a - opening day 2027 demand based on a $3/day fare

Source – Metro Gold Line Phase 2B Parking Demand Model 22 TASK Process to Eliminate a Metrolink Station 9

1. Currently, there is no formal process to eliminate a Metrolink Station 2. If the decision is made to eliminate the station, an update to the Foothill Gold Line EIR would be required

Source: SCRRA 23 Next Steps

1. Provide your comments to Metro through December 21, 2017 Send comments to: Regional Rail Metro MS: 99-17-2 One Gateway Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90012 Email: [email protected]

2. Present findings and recommendation to the Metro Planning and Programming Committee Date & Time: January 17, 2018 at 2 PM Venue: Metro Board Room One Gateway Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90012

Q&A Mayor Larry Schroeder