City Council Meeting: July, 11, 2006

Agenda Item: _____  

 

 

To:                   Mayor and City Council 

 

From:              Kathryn Vernez, Assistant to the City Manager for Government Relations

 

Subject:          Adoption of a resolution in support of Westside Council of Governments Proposed Westside Mobility Action Plan for Improvements Including Exposition Light Rail to Santa Monica, Red Line Extension to the Westside, Support for the November Transportation Infrastructure Bonds and Other Mobility Improvements

 

 

Recommended Action

 

It is recommended that Council:  

1) adopt a resolution in support of the Westside Cities Council of Governments (COG) position on improving mobility on the Westside including building the Exposition Light Rail line to Santa Monica, extension of the Metro Red line Subway to the Westside, and arterial improvements; and

2) prepare a resolution in support of the State Transportation Infrastructure bonds and implement an educational program on the types of projects that will be made possible if the bonds are approved by the voters on the November ballot.

 

Executive Summary

The Westside Cities developed a Westside Mobility Plan which included short term and longer term transportation solutions warranted to address Westside congestion recognizing the importance of the Westside for employment generation, economic activity and inequity in past regional investments on the Westside compared to other subregions in the County. The Santa Monica City Council acted to conceptually approve the plan December 9, 2003.   Advocacy for a range of projects including Exposition Light rail to Santa Monica, a Westside subway extension, arterial improvements and advocacy for funding was highlighted in the plan. Council  adopted a resolution on January 11, 2006 in support of specific aspects of the Exposition Light Rail project including grade separation at Venice/Robertson as requested by Culver City and regarding inclusion of the  Redline Subway extension to the Westside in Metro’s Long Range Plan.

 

Discussion

Over the past year, the Westside cities have met as a COG to strengthen advocacy efforts among the cities and outside agencies in order to implement the plan and formed a policy committee on transportation. Since adoption of the plan, progress has been made in key areas: 1) In regard to the Exposition Light Rail, the final environmental documentation for the Exposition Light Rail Transit line, Phase 1, to Venice/Robertson in Culver City, was approved  by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“Metro”) board and the Exposition construction authority authorized by state legislation in 2003 has  entered into a design-build contract for the first segment, which was made possible by a $640 million funding plan by Metro;    2) Caltrans and the cities are developing options to improve circulation around the I-10 freeway interchange at Robertson and Venice;  3) the Westside cities are working on the implementation of additional rapid bus corridors on the Westside; 4) the Westside cities secured a SCAG grant to integrate circulation improvements and access for pedestrians, bicycles, transit and autos at the Venice/Robertson first phase terminus; and 5) Metro recently approved $100,000 to hire a project manager to initiate a major investment study for the proposed extension of the Red Line subway to the Westside as a very preliminary step for the future rail project.

 

A COG structure enhances advocacy for funding from regional, state and federal sources because prioritized projects are region serving. Construction of Exposition light rail phase one to Venice/Robertson by 2010 is a significant advancement towards getting the line to the end point in Santa Monica. Further work to secure the $750 million in funding required to complete phase 2 to Santa Monica will take regional, State and Federal advocacy. The Westside Cities are advocating that the Metro Board include a Red line extension to the Westside in the next update to the Long Range Transportation plan after completion of Exposition light rail.

 

Both of these major transportation investments will take new revenue sources to meet the unmet need. The November State transportation infrastructure bonds represent a viable funding source for transportation investment. It is requested that Council direct staff to implement an educational campaign on the types of projects that the bonds will make possible. Staff will also prepare a resolution in support of the November infrastructure bond measure for Council adoption and continue to explore other financing mechanisms to fund transportation improvements over time.

 

 

Similar resolutions are being passed by all Westside cities as an outgrowth of the recent May 5, 2006 Transportation Symposium to be used in both advocacy and coordinated action.   Staff will explore other options for reducing congestion on arterials such as prohibiting non-emergency peak-hour road construction and encroachment permits on major arterials and improving signal synchronization and coordination within the Westside cities and will return with implementation analyses.

 

Budget/Financial Impact

There are no budget impacts from the proposed actions since the required work will be performed by existing staff.

 

Prepared by:  Kathryn Vernez, Assistant to the City Manager, Government Relations

 

 

Approved:

 

Forwarded to Council:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gordon R. Anderson

Assistant City Manager

 

P. Lamont Ewell

City Manager

 

 

 

Attachments:              Westside Cities COG Proposed Mobility Action Plan