A PATH FORWARD Metro’s Recovery Task Force draft final report – december 2020 DRAFT Letter from the CEO Powered by Leadership, Rooted in Vision Now more than ever we believe in the promise of a more equitable LA that doesn’t When we formed Metro’s Recovery require every adult to own a car, where all Task Force in April 2020 in response to people have a multitude of mobility options the COVID-19 pandemic we knew that that are convenient and accessible, and unprecedented challenges would lie ahead. where it is safe and healthy to live your life From the outset we were determined that in public spaces no matter your race or Metro would not only maintain service for economic status. The recommendations essential workers, but also would emerge in this report from the Recovery Task Force from this pandemic stronger than when offer such a promise. we started. This is why we created a task force, led by our Chief Innovation Officer While there are still many miles to go on Joshua Schank, to compose a diverse, the path to recovery, I know we are headed multidisciplinary group of emerging in the right direction. I’m proud of how leaders at Metro. Metro’s staff has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic both operationally and through As we release this task force report, the Recovery Task Force’s recommendations. LA County continues to struggle with I believe our workforce is the best in the the pandemic; the number of cases, business. For example, the dedication shown hospitalizations and deaths is rising. by our operators, maintenance teams, Residents of LA County, and in particular cleaning crews and frontline Customer Care our low-income and minority communities, personnel are a benchmark for the industry. continue to suffer both the human and These frontline employees continue to deliver economic tolls of the health crisis. The for our customers under difficult conditions. central mission of the task force is to help Metro and the region respond to and recover We are pleased to present this draft final from the effects of the pandemic as quickly report from the Recovery Task Force, and robustly as possible. which we believe can be the foundation DRAFTfor a new beginning for mobility and During the initial months of this crisis, we equity in LA County. saw a glimpse of what Los Angeles can be when we prioritize the movement of people over cars. No traffic congestion, free-flowing buses and cars on roads and highways, cleaner air, open streets enjoyed by families, Phillip A. Washington outdoor dining parklets, and a surge in CEO, Metro cycling and bike sales were all inspiring. We saw a vision of what a more sustainable and more equitable urban mobility could look like in Los Angeles County. Table of Contents Letter from the CEO ....................................................................................i About the Task Force ..................................................................................1 The Path Forward ........................................................................................4 COVID-19 Impacts on Mobility and Transportation in LA County – Nine Months Later ......................................................................................7 A Recovery Framework for Metro ...............................................................15 Task Force Progress to Date .......................................................................21 Early Action Recommendations .................................................................24 Phase One: Respond and Prepare ........................................................................25 1. Survey Riders ................................................................................................26 2. Fund Safe Streets .........................................................................................27 3. Expand and Innovate Cleaning ....................................................................28 4. Distribute Masks to Riders ..........................................................................30 5. Allow Mask Vending .....................................................................................31 6. Implement Visual Payment on Transit App ................................................32 7. Improve Online Meetings ............................................................................33 DRAFT8. Increase Ventilation .....................................................................................34 9. Support Working Parents ............................................................................35 Phase Two: Relaunch .............................................................................................36 10. Restore Service...........................................................................................37 11. Study New Bike Share Models ...................................................................38 12. Promote Biking ..........................................................................................39 13. Allow and Promote Telework ......................................................................40 14. Install More Bus Lanes ..............................................................................42 15. Launch “We’re Here for You” Communications .......................................43 16. Use More Customer Ambassadors ...........................................................44 17. Explore New Mobility Solutions .................................................................45 18. Use Budget to Advance Recovery ..............................................................46 19. Reimagine Capital Projects ........................................................................47 20. Better Address Homelessness ..................................................................48 Final Recommendations .............................................................................49 New and Improved Services .................................................................................50 21. Run Express Buses on Improved HOV and Express Lanes......................51 22. Accelerate Networks of Complete Streets ................................................54 23. Fully Integrate Transit in LA Region ...........................................................57 24. Offer Incentives to Reduce Car Ownership ..............................................60 25. Improve Station Amenities ........................................................................62 Responsive Metro ..................................................................................................64 26. Improve Public Engagement and Strengthen Rider Voices .....................65 27. Gather More Data on Equity and Travel Patterns .....................................70 28. Share Data and Information More Openly and Effectively ......................73 Vibrant Future ........................................................................................................76 29. Accelerate Joint Development and Transit-Oriented Communities ........77 30. Expand Region’s Broadband Infrastructure ..............................................80 31. Create Green Jobs and Green Infrastructure .............................................82 32. Reimagine Destination Discounts ............................................................84 Help Pay for These Improvements .......................................................................87 33. Study Reducing Capital Construction Costs .............................................88 34. Build Staff Capacity ....................................................................................91 35. Use Measures M and R Ordinances .........................................................93 DRAFT36. Expand Revenue Opportunities ................................................................95 37. Identify Funding for Incentives to Reduce Car Ownership .......................98 We Want Your Input ....................................................................................100 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................101 Appendix .....................................................................................................103 About the Task Force The COVID-19 Recovery Task Force is a staff committee at Metro responsible for providing advice and recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board of Directors on recovery from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. DRAFT 1 Task Force Goals and Responsibilities The task force recommends a set of actions 2 Issuing periodic progress reports to that Metro can take to respond to the Metro decision makers, the public and COVID-19 pandemic and recover from it. stakeholders on the work of the task Task force goals and deliverables include: force, including early action items to consider taking. 1 Identifying and recommending potential actions that Metro can take to respond 3 Drafting a final recovery report that to the pandemic; to recover after the includes updates on early actions and pandemic; to help lead an equitable final recovery recommendations with economic recovery for LA County; and implementation plans. to advance mobility without congestion as the ‘new normal’ after the pandemic. DRAFT 2 Task Force Members The task force is chaired by the Chief Joshua Schank, Office of Extraordinary Innovation – Chair Innovation Officer and staffed by the Aida Berry, Office of Civil Rights