LosAngeles County One Gateway Plaza 213.922.2000 Tel © Metropolitan TransportationAuthority , CA 90012-2952 metro.net Metro

April 17, 2018

TO: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

THROUGH: PHILLIP A. WASHINGTON (AJ CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

FROM: THERESE W. MCMILLAN /'\ IA J JJ / CHIEF PLANNING OFFICER \..)/VV-/

SUBJECT: VERMONT TRANSIT CORRIDOR - RAIL CONVERSION/FEASIBILITY STUDY

ISSUE

Metro staffwill be initiating community outreach meetings for the Vermont Transit Corridor - Rail Conversion Feasibility Study in the coming weeks. Meetings will be held at the following locations and times:

Tuesday, May 1st Thursday, May 3rd Tuesday, May 8th Thursday, May 10th 6:00pm - 8:00pm 6:00pm - 8:00pm 4:00pm to 6:00pm 6:00pm to 8:00pm Young Oak Kim West Coast CD 8 Constituent Roy A. Anderson Academy University Service Center Recreation Center 615 Shatto Pl 590 N. Vermont Ave 8475 . Vermont Ave 3980 Bill Robertson Ln Los Angeles Los Angeles Los Angeles Los Angeles

This report provides background on the project and progress to date.

DISCUSSION

Background

In February 2017, Metro completed the Vermont (BRT) Technical Study. The Vermont Corridor (Attachment A) extends approximately 12.5 miles from Hollywood Boulevard to 120th Street and is the second busiest bus corridor in Los Angeles County, carrying approximately 45,000 passengers per day. The study identified four preliminary BRT concepts, two of which best met the project goals and provided the greatest benefits, including improved passenger travel times, faster bus speeds, and increased ridership. At the March 23, 2017 Board meeting, staff presented the findings and recommendations from the technical study. At that same meeting, the Board approved a motion (Attachment B) directing staffto proceed with the Vermont BRT as a near-term "Phase 111 transit improvement; initiate a study of extending the Red Line along to 125th Street, with a focus on connecting the WilshireNermont Red Line Station to the Expo Line at the ExpoNermont Station, as an initial rail segment; include a heavy rail alternative in the Alternative Analysis and Environmental Studies; and report back to the Planning and Programming Committee on all the above during the July 2017 Board cycle.

In July 2017, staff returnedto the Planning and Programming Committee with an approach for augmenting the BRT technical study with an additional scope of work to conduct a rail feasibility study. The purpose of the rail feasibility study was to re­ evaluate and refine the initial BRT concepts identified earlier to ensure that their design did not preclude a future conversion to rail. The study was to also evaluate and compare multiple rail modes and/or alternatives (heavy rail, light rail, streetcar/tram), including an extension of the Metro Red Line along Vermont Avenue.

Rail Conversion/Feasibility Study

In December 2017, staffinitiated work on the Vermont Transit Corridor- Rail Conversion/Feasibility Study. In addition to developing considerations forre-evaluating and refining the initial BRT concepts, six preliminary rail concepts have been identified. The development of the initial rail concepts included evaluating and comparing multiple rail modes (heavy rail transit (HRT), light rail transit (LRT), and streetcar/tram), alignments, and configurations. An extension of the Metro Red Line along Vermont Avenue, specifically focusing on connecting the Metro Red Line at the WilshireNermont Station to the Metro Expo Line at the ExpositionNermont Station, is included as one of the six. The six (6) preliminary rail concepts include:

1 ) LRT High Floor, Center-Running 2) LRT Low-Floor, Side-Running 3) Tram/Streetcar, At-Grade Side-Running 4) HRT Purple Line Connection 5) HRT Red Line Connection 6) HRT Stand-Alone Alignment

Planned Outreach

Staff has scheduled four project briefings/key targeted stakeholder meetings for early May 2018. Invitees will include businesses, religious institutions, schools, hospitals, community/neighborhood groups, major cultural centers, neighborhood councils, and Chambers of Commerce. The purpose of these meetings is to provide a general overview and schedule of the study, solicit initial stakeholder input and feedback on the preliminary rail concepts, and to discuss next steps. Staffwill also be reaching out and offering individual project briefings to all affected City of Los Angeles Council Districts to inform them of the study. NEXT STEPS

Feedback received from the key targeted stakeholder meetings will help inform, refine and screen the six preliminaryrail concepts to determine which are the most promising and should be carried forward for more detailed analysis. After the key targeted stakeholder meetings, staffwill provide the Board with an update on the initial preliminary concepts, screening results and stakeholder feedback.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A - Map of Vermont Corridor Attachment B - March 23, 2017 Board motion ATTACHMENT A Map of Vermont Corridor

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IMPERIAL HWY LYNV\Dll Attachment B . Los AngelesCounty Metro MelropoUlanTransportaUan Aulharlly One GalewayPlaza 3rdRoar BoardRoam LosAngefes, CA {DMetra Board Report

FIie #:2017-0213, FIie Type:Motion / Motion Agenda Number: Response

REGULARBOARD MEETING MARCH 23, 2017 Motion by: DirectorsGarcetti, Ridley-Thomas and Dupont-Walker

March 231 2017 Relating to Item 9, File ID 2018-0836i VermontTransit Corridor VermontAvenue has the second-highest number of transitboardings of any corridor in Los Angeles County, behind only WilshireBoulevard. In February2017. the VermontAvenue Rapid and Localbus lines combined for over 43,000 average weekday boardings, higher than theGreen, Orange, and Sliver Lines. Recognizingthe need for additional transitInvestment along VermontAvenue, the 2009 Long Range TransportationPlan included a "VennontCorridor Subway" in the list of Strategic Unfundedprojects. Since then,MTA staffhas workeddiligently to advance transiton VermontAvenue. Vennont was listed as the number-one corridorfor Bus Rapid TransitInvestment in the 2013 CountywideBus Rapid TransitStudy. In 2014, MTA Initiatedtechnlcal studies for a VermontAvenue Bus Rapid Transit project and ls proceeding wllhAlternatives Analysis, Including providing for a futureconversion to light rall. Bus serviceImprovements on Vermont Avenue are vital, and MTA should proceed with Bus Rapid Transit improvementsas quickly as possible. However, the Measure M ExpenditurePlan anticipated futureconversion to light or heavyrail. Given VennontAvenue's intense transitridership, MT Aneeds topursue a path now forfuture rail options to servethis comdor. Motion by Garcettl, Ridley-Thomas and Dupont-Walker thatthe Board direct the CEO to: A. Proceed with theVennont Bu s Rapid Transit project as a near-term"Phase 111 transit Improvement along theVermont Avenue Corridor; B. Initiatethe study of extending the Red Line along Vermont Avenue to 125th Street, specifically

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focusing on connectingthe WilshlreNermont Red Line Station to the ExpoNermont Expo Line 11 Stationas a asectlon 1 ; C. Include a heavy rail alternative in the Altemative Analysts and EnvironmentalStudies for the Measure M VermontTransit Corridor. and D. Reportback on an the above to the Plannfng and Programming Committeeduring the July 2017 Board cycle. ###

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