PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE

May 16, 2002

SUBJECT: STate Route 2 Freeway Terminus ImprovementS

ACTION: Receive Caltrans PSR/PDS and authorize proceeding with Environmental Studies

RECOMMENDATION

A. Receive the Caltrans’ approved Project Study Report/Project Development Support (PSR/PDS) for the State Route (SR) 2 Freeway Terminus Improvements project. Attachment A contains a location map and summary of the PSR/PDS.

B. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to proceed with the next phase of project development, the preparation of the Project Approval/Environmental Document (PA/ED), and include in the environmental scoping process the four candidate alternatives identified in the PSR/PDS and the alternative proposed by the Echo Park Community Action Committee (CAC) as described in Attachment B.

Issue

In August 2001, the Metro Board awarded a contract to URS Corporation to prepare a Project Study Report (PSR) to identify possible alternatives to mitigate transportation problems at the southern terminus of the SR 2 Freeway at Glendale Boulevard. In the course of the document’s development, Caltrans modified its guidelines to replace the PSR with a PSR/PDS for projects such as the SR 2 Freeway Terminus and advised Metro to convert the document to a PSR/PDS. Whereas a PSR would recommend one alternative for programming purposes for environmental, design and construction funding, a PSR/PDS recommends a range of candidate alternatives and is used as a basis to program funds through completion of the project approval and environmental document phase, only.

A PSR/PDS is required by Caltrans as a first step toward project development for projects that affect State owned rights-of-way. This PSR/PDS was prepared in compliance with Caltrans requirements and has been approved and signed by Caltrans.

As described in Attachment A, the PSR/PDS proposed four alternatives including a no-build alternative, one alternative that widens the SR 2 freeway on/off ramps in the existing interchange configuration, and two alternatives that realign the on/off ramps to tie into Glendale Boulevard in a new configuration. The total estimated cost for these alternatives ranges from no capital cost to $15.2 million, respectively. At the final community workshop conducted on December 6, 2001, the Echo Park

CAC presented an alternative to be included in the PSR/PDS (Attachment B). Since the Echo Park CAC proposal was received near the end of the PSR/PDS process, the same level of analyses could not be given to it as to those alternatives identified in the PSR/PDS. All proposed alternatives including the community alternative, will be analyzed as part of the environmental scoping process of the PA/ED phase. Based on the analysis during the environmental scoping process, Metro in consultation with the project steering committee will determine which alternative(s) best meet the project goals and objectives for full consideration in the PA/ED process.

The recommended action is consistent with the Metro’s adopted 2001 Long Range Transportation Plan, which includes the SR 2 Freeway Terminus Improvements as a baseline project. The Caltrans project development process is required in order to complete the planning phase of the project and to proceed with design and construction.

The Metro Board has the option of receiving the Caltrans approved PSR/PDS and not authorizing staff to proceed with the PA/ED phase. This option is not advised as candidate alternatives are identified and sufficient federal and local matching funds exist to proceed with the next phase of project development.

The funds to begin the PA/ED phase have been included in the proposed FY 2003 budget in Cost Center 4320, under project/task number 420002/01.10. The PSR/PDS was funded through a Federal Transportation Equity Act of the 21^st Century (TEA-21) High Priority Highway Projects’ Authorization, with matching funds provided by the City of Los Angeles through a Metro Call for Projects grant. The same funding sources will be utilized for the PA/ED phase of the project. Staff will return to the Board prior to awarding the PA/ED contract.

SR 2 was originally planned and constructed in 1959 to connect with the Hollywood Freeway (SR 101) through the neighborhoods of Echo Park and Silver Lake. In 1962, as a result of local community opposition, the full build-out plan was rescinded and construction was terminated at the present SR 2 Freeway Terminus near Glendale Boulevard and Duane Street. Since then, commuter traffic coming off of and on to SR 2 has passed through the community primarily along Glendale Boulevard and Alvarado Street, and has contributed to congestion in the neighborhoods.

Through a TEA 21 High Priority Highway Project Authorization, $12 million has been earmarked to upgrade the southern terminus of SR 2 and to address transportation issues and community concerns on Glendale Boulevard. The scope of this funding covers the planning and potential implementation of selected alternative(s) for the SR 2 Freeway Terminus improvements to increase transportation efficiency and pedestrian access as well as to enhance green space/open space in the SR 2 Freeway Terminus area.

In October 2001, a Project Development Team (PDT) was formed consisting of representatives from Metro, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Although public outreach is not required under the PSR/PDS process, Metro staff made a conscious decision to include the community in the early phase of the project. During the development of the PSR/PDS, three public workshops and four focus group meetings were conducted in the Echo Park/Silver Lake areas. To the extent feasible, public comments obtained through these workshops and meetings were incorporated into the development of the PSR/PDS.

Assuming Board approval to enter the PA/ED phase of the project, Metro staff will initiate the procurement process to obtain consultant services to develop and prepare the PA/ED. Staff will return to the Board for the award of the contract.


James L. de la Loza Executive Officer Countywide Planning and Development

Roger Snoble Chief Executive Officer