HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2008-02-11 #T
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
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DATE:
February 11, 2008
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM: Vince Mastrosimone, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY .
GO LOCAL PROGRAM
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
This item is consideration of an offer from the Orange County Transportation Authority
(OCTA) to provide the City with a grant for up to $100,000 to plan and implement city-
initiated transit extensions to the OCTA's Metrolink commuter rail line. It also
recommends a partnership with the City of Los Alamitos for a joint project.
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BACKGROUND:
On February 14, 2006, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of
Directors approved a four-step process for Orange County cities to develop their own
transit program to bring Metrolink access to their communities. The intent of this locally
initiated program is to make the usage of Metrolink more convenient to more users. The
four steps lire:
. Provide grant in the amount of $100,000 to each City to develop a local transit
program and conduct initial planning. Cities are eligible to receive up to
$100,000 upon execution of a cooperative agreement and submittal of an
acceptable project concept;
. Make available an additional $30 million in early 2008 to further develop the
most promising projects on a competitive basis;
. Upon availability of renewed Measure M funds, move projects to implementation;
and
. Provide resources transforming Metrolink stations to major multi-modal
transportation centers.
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Funds provided as part of Step One to cities with an executed cooperative agreement can
be used on the following tasks:
. Assessment of travel needs or local travel patterns to extend the reach of
Metrolink;
. Transit shuttle planning or implementation which connects to Metrolink;
. Supporting transit-friendly land use planning in the vicinity of Metrolink stations;
and
. Evaluation of specific rights-of-way for use as a transit corridor connection to
Metrolink.
Agenda Item T
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The above uses of funds are intended to make Metrolink accessible to areas that are
currently not served by this service, As such, aCTA intends that the cities without
Metrolink stations, such as Seal Beach, partner with other cities to develop regional
projects, The participating cities will work jointly on projects that enhance access to
Metrolink stations to other areas and submit their proposed Metrolink connection projects
by June of2008, OCTA will then, through a competitive evaluation process, select a few
high ranking projects for further development and implementation,
In response to the above OCTA initiative, the City Staff has had preliminary discussions
with the City of Los Alamitos to determine the feasibility of a partnership project. Based
on a preliminary analysis, it appears that the closest Metrolink station to Seal Beach
would be Buena Park which is about 32 minutes away, The situation in Los Alamitos is
similar, The City of Los Alamitos is interested in working with the City of Seal Beach to
develop an opinion survey for residents and local businesses to determine the existing
and potential use of Metrolink and possibly the Metro Blue Line in Long Beach, for
residents and employees in the two cities, The grant could also be used to develop a
"transit program" for the City, One possible concept would be to develop a light rail
system to the closest Metrolink station. Another would be to take advantage of the Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) system that is currently planned for Westminster Avenue. A transit
link could also be developed to carry passengers to the Willow Station of the Blue Line in
the City of Long Beach, which is just 17 minutes from Seal Beach. OCT A staff has
encouraged the proposed project.
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The City of Los Alamitos has begun to solicit proposals and statements of qualifications
from qualified consultants, The next steps will be to select the most qualified consultant,
and to submit a project concept plan to OCTA with an approved cooperative agreement.
Staff endorses the concept of ''partnering'' with the City of Los Alamitos, The City of
Seal Beach will need to enter into a Cooperative agreement with OCT A and formalize the
partnership with the City of Los Alamitos, The agencies must have an OCTA approved
project by March 31, 2008 and the project must be complete by June 30, 2008, The
follow-up documents will be scheduled for the March 10, 2008 City Council meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This effort will be funded by the OCTA Go Local grant including City staff time.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council dire<;t staff to pursue a partnership with the City
of Los Alamitos and to participate in the Go Local program with the project as outlined
herein.
~y. ~~
VinceM~e
Director of Public Works
NOTED AND APPROVED:
~--::
D 'd C -~
aVl armany,
City Manager
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Attachment: Go Local Facts
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The Go Local program is a four-step
process to plan and implement clty-
Initiated tranail extensions to OCTA's
Metrollnk commuter rail line. The
Melrolink rail line Is the backbone of
tranall In Orange County, lWo-thlrda of
Orange County's population and loba are
within a four-mile radius of each of the
I counly's 11 Melrolink stations, Because
. of this proximity of potential commuter
rail users, OCTA plans to inCl'8llSe
Metrollnk service in the coming years.
I Step 1
i The first phase of Go Local Is designed
to provide each of the 34 cities In Orange
County a $100,000 grant to study possible
extensions to the Metrollnk line, Thase
extenaions will link major activity and
employment centers with a Metrolink
station, The grant can be uaed to study:
. Land use development planning related
to Metrolink stations or nearby areas
. Assessment of needs or local travel
paltema to extend the reach of Metrolink
. Transit shuttle planning
or Implementation
Step 2
During thla phase, the cities will compete
for additional funding to further develop
the most promising projects, Propoaed
projecla will be evaluated against well-
defined and well-known criteria Including:
. Traffic congastlon relief
. Project readin~, with priority
given to projects that can be
implemented wtthin the first five
years of the Renewed Measure M
Transportation Invaslment Plan
. Local funding commltmenla and
the availability of right of way
. Proven abll1ty to attract other financial
partners, both public and private
. Cost-effectiveness
. Proximity to jobs and
population centers
. Regional as well as local benefits
. Ease and simplicity of connections
. Compatible, approved land uses
. Safe and modern technology
. A sound, long-term operating plan
Step 3
Step three may move aome projecta
Into development and implementation,
Step 4
In this phase, the focus will be on efforts
to transform existing Malrollnk stations
Into major multi-modal transportation
centers. These transportation centers
would offer commuters travel by rail
and a1ao by bus to business and actMly
centers on weekdays and weekends.
Program Funding
The Go Local program Is funded by
Measure M, Orange County's
ha~-cent sales tax for transportation
O:"a ,~~:,. I
Improvements. Measure M was
originally approved by Orange County
voters In 1990 and expires In 2011,
On November 7, 2006, Orange County
voters approved the Renewed Measure
M Transportation Investment Plan by
a 69,7 percent majority, which will
ensure transportation Improvemenla
for another 30 years until 2041.
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Additionallnfonnation
For more Information,
please call Andrea West at
(714) 560-5611 or viall www.octa.net.
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Go Local Program Concept Ian 2008
The Cities of Los Alamitos and Seal Beach have elected to partner to study use and
access to Metrolink and Metro Blue Line facilities in the area. Both Los Alamitos and
Seal Beach are a significant distance to the nearest Metrolink Station. In both instances,
travel time to the Anaheim, Buena Park or Norwalk stations is about 30 minutes iduring
non-peak hours using current transportation modes, It is suspected this tempers the
enthusiasm of residents and employees who would likely to be transit riders if more
efficient options existed. The Willow Metro Blue Line station (Metro) is a bit closer and
may be a better option for residents,
It is proposed to study the use of Metro link and the Metro Blue Line by residents of each
city, Through a consultant, the Cities will survey a statistically valid number of residents
to obtain information about:
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. Current usage of Metro link (employees and residents)
. Current usage of the Metro Blue Line (employees and residents)
. Most likely origins (employees) and destinations (residents)
. Reasons for or impediments to using these transportation modes
. Desirability of various possible enhancements to encourage usage
. Potentially desirable locations for a transit station that would benefit both
communities.
This information will be used to formulate a program to improve ridership on either
Metrolink and/or Metro Blue Line, The transit vision for each community will be
outlined in a brief report, and rough cost estimates (capital and long tenn operations and
maintenance) will be provided, Maps depicting potential shuttle routes and a potential
transit center will also be included.
The Cities will then compete for Go Local Step 2 funding for implementation of the
recommended program or programs,
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