pdf and online agenda is here

The Metro Board of Directors meets at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday at Metro headquarters for its regular monthly meeting. The link for the livestream will appear here just before the meeting begins.

Among some of the items the Board is scheduled to tackle:

•Consideration of a $7.2-billion budget for Metro for the 2019-20 fiscal year that runs from July 1 through June 30, 2020. Note: the budget is on the consent calendar, meaning it will be voted on with other items unless a Board Member pulls it for discussion (there was a budget hearing and discussion in the Board’s Finance Committee last week). Staff report and Source post on service changes proposed in the budget. Here’s a slide that sums up the budget:

•Moving a primarily street-running bus rapid transit line between North Hollywood and Pasadena into the project’s next phase, a formal Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The DEIR will study the feasibility of adding dedicated bus lanes between the North Hollywood Station and the Gold Line in downtown Pasadena — and the extension of BRT service in mixed flow traffic lanes from the Gold Line to Pasadena City College. Staff report with attachments

•Approving a $1.36 billion contract with Tutor Perini/O&G to build stations, track, systems and testing for Section 3 of the Purple Line Extension between Century City, the Wilshire/Westwood Station and the Westwood/VA Hospital Station. The Metro Board previously awarded this contract in February but is doing a second approval after a key step — the FTA issuing a Letter of No Prejudice — was reached this spring. Staff report and previous Source post on Section 3 funding.

•Increasing the budget for the Patsaouras Bus Plaza Station project by $11.1 million to $50.9 million. Work on the project is resuming after a stoppage of more than a year, dating to April 2018, due to finding archeological and human remains at the work site. The project — which will provide a convenient way to board the Silver Line and other buses — is now forecast to be complete in May 2020. Staff report. A rendering and archeological findings map are below:

•Awarding about $1 million in funding to five future Open Streets events. Here’s a staff report and here’s a map:

•A $9.9-million contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services for two years to run Metro’s Homeless Outreach Teams. The teams ride transit and try to connect homeless with social services. Below is a chart on recent efforts by the teams. Staff report

•Approving Metro’s share of Metrolink operations at $131 million for the next fiscal year. Five counties — L.A., Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura — contribute funds toward running Metrolink each year. Staff report and presentation.

•Receiving and filing this Metro staff update on the development of a funding plan for the Twenty-Eight by ’28 Initiative — specifically accelerating four major transit projects. Bottom line: there are hurdles to clear.