CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 4/12/2021 ITEM NO: 15 TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council SUBJECT: Approval of a Letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Support of Federal Funding for the West Santa Ana Branch Light Rail Project FROM: Karen Lee, Management Analyst REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Melissa Burke, Administrative Manager HongDao Nguyen, City Attorney William Rawlings, City Manager RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign, and direct staff to submit, the attached letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. BACKGROUND: The West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) light rail line is a substantial public works and transportation project that will have a permanent impact on the region. This project will have tremendous impact on the City as the City’s planned station location in the Downtown will be the line’s terminus. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is overseeing this project. During the January 12, 2021 meeting of the WSAB City Manager Technical Advisory Committee, and the board meeting of the Orangeline Development Authority/Eco-Rapid Transit on January 13, 2021, Metro staff reported that it intends to lobby for federal funding for the WSAB project to help pay the estimated cost of $6.3 to $6.5 billion in 2018 dollars based on 5% design level plus the addition of project revisions. The project costs will be updated this month based on the 15% design level. 1 ANALYSIS: Metro has requested that cities along the WSAB corridor provide letters in support of the WSAB project and Metro’s efforts to pursue federal funding for this project. Metro is currently lobbying local members of the U.S. Congress to include the WSAB and other transit projects as part of federal transportation spending bills that will be voted on next month. Federal funding can help reduce the City’s potential local 3% contribution amount towards the WSAB project’s total costs at the 30% level of its final design. The local 3% contribution amount is required by local jurisdictions that will receive a direct benefit from projects funded by Measure M, which uses a county-wide sales tax to fund new rail lines and public transit projects. Funding for the WSAB project is provided by Measure M. There is concern whether Measure M will be able to generate adequate funding for all of its projects, especially the WSAB. Federal funding can help bridge funding gaps, and fund improvements at the City’s station that will be located in Downtown such as an outdoor transit plaza to create a better connection between the two areas. The 3% local contribution could result in heavily burdening the City if it has to use the General Fund, Reserve Funds, and its local return funds from Metro such as Proposition A, Proposition C, Measure M, and Measure R. The City uses these local return funds for the Dial-A-Ride program, electric bus service, and transportation infrastructure maintenance for streets, sidewalks, trees, and medians. As of now, the actual full cost to the City is not fully known. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with approving the letter. RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION: Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign, and direct staff to submit, the attached letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. ATTACHMENTS: Letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2 .