West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Item 6 Eco-Rapid Transit, formerly known as the Orangeline A G E N D A R E P O R T Development Authority, is a joint powers authority (JPA) created to pursue development of a transit system that moves as rapidly as TO: Members of Eco-Rapid Transit possible, uses grade separation as appropriate, and is environmentally friendly and FROM: Michael Kodama, Executive Director energy efficient. The system is designed to enhance and increase transportation options for riders of this region utilizing safe, DATE: October 14, 2015 advanced transit technology to expand economic growth that maximizes ridership in Southern SUBJECT: UPDATE AND/OR ACTION REGARDING WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH California. The Authority is composed of the TECHNICAL REFINEMENT STUDY AND PRESENTATION BY METRO STAFF following public agencies: ISSUE City of Artesia City of Bell The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO) Board of Directors approved its consultant final report on the West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB). City of Bell Gardens Chair Maria Davila and others attended the September 16, 2015 Metro Planning and City of Bellflower Programming Committee meeting on behalf of Eco-Rapid Transit. City of Cudahy City of Downey Metro staff (Renee Berlin and Fanny Pan) will provide an update to the Board of City of Glendale Directors. City of Huntington Park City of Maywood DISCUSSION City of Paramount The Pacific Electric West Santa Ana Branch is an important part of the proposed Eco- City of South Gate Rapid Transit Corridor transit improvement program. This is what is considered the City of Vernon Southern Corridor of the transit services being planned by the Joint Powers Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Authority. The 20 mile right of way between Paramount and Santa Ana is jointly Airport Authority owned by METRO and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The route Chair includes alignment options from Paramount to Downtown Los Angeles. Maria Davila Council Member The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) finalized its Alternatives City of South Gate Analysis Report on the Pacific Electric/West Santa Ana Branch rail right of way in Vice Chair January, 2013. SCAG concluded with a preliminary assessment of ridership for Zareh Sinanyan Mayor several alternatives and recommended METRO and OCTA go forward with additional City of Glendale study for transit service along this abandoned right of way. The Orange County Secretary Transit Authority (OCTA) commented to SCAG that they were not interested in Cristian Markovich pursuing the study at that time. METRO decided to go ahead with further study, as Mayor City of Cudahy this project is part of the Los Angeles County Measure R projects. Currently, $240 million is appropriated to WSAB under the Measure R projects programming. Treasurer Michael McCormick Mayor There were some unanswered technical issues from the SCAG study. In May, 2013 City of Vernon METRO executed a contract with its consultant Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) to prepare a Internal Auditor focused analysis of the key unresolved issues. Eco-Rapid Transit participated with its Ali Sajjad Taj member cities through a third party agreement. Council Member City of Artesia Executive Director Michael R. Kodama General Counsel Teresa L. Highsmith Ex-Officio Rene Bobadilla City Manager Representative 16401 Paramount Boulevard ▪ Paramount ▪ California 90723 (562) 663-6850 www.eco-rapid.org Item 6 Eco-Rapid Transit, formerly known as the Orangeline The key technical issues addressed by the consultant study include: Development Authority, is a joint powers authority (JPA) created to pursue development of a transit system that moves as rapidly as 1. How to get into Los Angeles Union Station Terminal (LAUST) possible, uses grade separation as appropriate, and is 2. Options for going into Downtown Los Angeles – east of the Los Angeles River environmentally friendly and (East Bank) or west of the Los Angeles River (West Bank) energy efficient. The system is designed to enhance and 3. A request by the City of Huntington Park to examine the station at Randolph increase transportation options for riders of this region utilizing safe, and Pacific Avenue and consider other locations and route options advanced transit technology to expand economic growth that 4. Transfer station with METRO’s Green Line in the I-105 Freeway maximizes ridership in Southern 5. Southern terminus station in Artesia California. The Authority is composed of the following public agencies: Member cities have commented on the various interim technical reports for this study. On July 30, 2015 METRO staff and its consultant presented the draft final City of Artesia report to Eco-Rapid Transit and its City Working Group (CWG). City of Bell Major conclusions of the report are as follows: City of Bell Gardens City of Bellflower 1. LAUST options have been detailed with feasible alternatives to be coordinated City of Cudahy with the future high speed rail options and the existing Gold Line train station City of Downey platform. The connection to Union Station is extremely desirable as it City of Glendale increases the estimated ridership on the line to approximately 70,000 riders City of Huntington Park per day. City of Maywood 2. Four additional alternatives have been detailed. The West Bank options seems to be better alternatives. City of Paramount 3. The City of Huntington Park station made requests regarding the two stations City of South Gate in its city. An alternative station on Randolph Street, east of Pacific Avenue is City of Vernon found to be feasible which works with alternatives to continue north on Pacific Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Avenue or north on Santa Fe. The second request was to evaluate changing the Salt Lake Avenue/Gage Avenue Station to a location south of Florence Chair Avenue which has impacts to Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy and Maywood. This Maria Davila was also found to be feasible. Council Member 4. Two alternatives were considered and it has been determined that a station City of South Gate connecting to the Green Line rail line is feasible. Vice Chair 5. The City of Cerritos indicated that it did not want to have the southern Zareh Sinanyan Mayor terminus station within its City Boundaries. The consultant study defined a City of Glendale configuration for a new Southern terminus station in the City of Artesia, which Secretary has been found as feasible. Cristian Markovich Mayor City of Cudahy All of the above conclusion are based upon limited engineering (5% level) of analysis and are subject to further review in final design. Treasurer Michael McCormick Mayor One additional issue discussed with the CWG was the 96 “at-grade” rail crossings – City of Vernon where automobiles must cross the tracks under automated gate control. METRO staff Internal Auditor indicated the upgrade of any of these crossing to grade separation configuration Ali Sajjad Taj would be subject to METRO’s existing policies applied uniformly to all of its rail Council Member City of Artesia projects. Executive Director Michael R. Kodama METRO staff reported that the estimated cost of the project, as currently evaluated would be between $2.5 and $4 billion. General Counsel Teresa L. Highsmith Ex-Officio Rene Bobadilla City Manager Representative 16401 Paramount Boulevard ▪ Paramount ▪ California 90723 (562) 663-6850 www.eco-rapid.org Item 6 Eco-Rapid Transit, formerly known as the Orangeline The report does not report the “preferred” alternatives. This would be subject to the Development Authority, is a joint powers authority (JPA) created to next step – the project EIR/EIS. pursue development of a transit system that moves as rapidly as possible, uses grade separation as appropriate, and is RECOMMENDATION environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The system is designed to enhance and It is recommended that the Board: increase transportation options for riders of this region utilizing safe, advanced transit technology to expand economic growth that 1. Discuss information presented and offer action items; and/or maximizes ridership in Southern California. The Authority is composed of the 2. Receive and file the report. following public agencies: City of Artesia City of Bell City of Bell Gardens City of Bellflower City of Cudahy City of Downey City of Glendale City of Huntington Park City of Maywood City of Paramount City of South Gate City of Vernon Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Chair Maria Davila Council Member City of South Gate Vice Chair Zareh Sinanyan Mayor City of Glendale Secretary Cristian Markovich Mayor City of Cudahy Treasurer Michael McCormick Mayor City of Vernon Internal Auditor Ali Sajjad Taj Council Member City of Artesia Executive Director Michael R. Kodama General Counsel Teresa L. Highsmith Ex-Officio Rene Bobadilla City Manager Representative 16401 Paramount Boulevard ▪ Paramount ▪ California 90723 (562) 663-6850 www.eco-rapid.org Metro Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority One Gateway Plaza 3rd Floor Board Room Los Angeles, CA Agenda - Final Revised Wednesday, September 16, 2015 2:00 PM One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 3rd Floor, Metro Board Room Planning and Programming Committee Mike Bonin, Chair Sheila Kuehl, Vice Chair James Butts Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker Hilda Solis Carrie Bowen, non-voting member Phillip A. Washington, Chief Executive Officer METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD RULES (ALSO APPLIES TO BOARD COMMITTEES) PUBLIC INPUT A member of the public may address the Board on agenda items, before or during the Board or Committee’s consideration of the item for one (1) minute per item, or at the discretion of the Chair. A request to address the Board should be submitted in person at the meeting to the Board Secretary. Individuals requesting to speak on more than three (3) agenda items will be allowed to speak up to a maximum of three (3) minutes per meeting. For individuals requiring translation service, time allowed will be doubled. The public may also address the Board on non-agenda items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board during the public comment period, which will be held at the beginning and/or end of each meeting.