Preview of Metro Board of Directors’ February meeting on Thursday

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The Metro Board of Directors have their monthly full Board meeting this Thursday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. The full agenda with links to staff reports is here. A link will also appear on that same page to watch/listen to the livestream shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Live public comment instructions

Live public comment can only be given by telephone.

The Board Meeting begins at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on February 23; you may join the call 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.

Dial-in: 888-251-2949 and enter English Access Code: 8231160# Spanish Access Code: 4544724#

Public comment will be taken as the Board takes up each item. To give public comment on an item, enter #2 (pound-two) when prompted. Please note that the live video feed lags about 30 seconds behind the actual meeting. There is no lag on the public comment dial-in line.

Instrucciones para comentarios publicos en vivo:

Los comentarios publicos en vivo solo se pueden dar por telefono.

La Reunion de la Junta comienza a las 10:00 AM, hora del Pacifico, el 23 de Febrero de 2023. Puedes unirte a la llamada 5 minutos antes del comienso de la junta.

Marque: 888-251-2949 y ingrese el codigo Codigo de acceso en ingles: 8231160# Codigo de acceso en espanol: 4544724#

Los comentarios del público se tomaran cuando se toma cada tema. Para dar un comentario público sobre una tema ingrese # 2 (Tecla de numero y dos) cuando se le solicite. Tenga en cuenta que la transmisión de video en vivo se retrasa unos 30 segundos con respecto a la reunión real. No hay retraso en la línea de acceso telefónico para comentarios públicos.

Written Public Comment Instruction:

Written public comments must be received by 5PM the day before the meeting. Please include the Item # in your comment and your position of “FOR,” “AGAINST,” “GENERAL COMMENT,” or “ITEM NEEDS MORE CONSIDERATION.”
Email: BoardClerk@metro.net

Here are some of the more interesting items the Board will tackle on Thursday:

•The Board will consider a motion by several Board Members asking Metro staff to report back with a list of potential Metro-owned properties — including rights-of-way and parking lots, that are vacant, surplus, or underutilized — that could be used for temporary or permanent housing with on-site supportive services. Staff are also asked to report back with a strategy to accelerate joint development efforts in order to produce 10,000 new housing units.

•The Board will consider a motion by several Board Members calling for Metro to determine how it can build on past successes to  increase the number of women construction workers on its projects.
•The Board will consider a motion calling for Metro to test design and programming strategies to improve the Customer Experience and community health at the B/D Lines’ Westlake/MacArthur Station.
•The Board will consider a motion directing Metro to work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Los Angeles County and the city of Long Beach to implement a new homeless service hub in Long Beach along the A Line. This is part of the ongoing discussion about Metro’s end-of-line policy that requires all riders to leave trains when they go out of service. The concern is that unhoused riders are leaving trains late at night with nowhere to go and no social services available.
•Approve a $30.9-million contract with San Fernando Transit Constructors (SFTC) — a Joint Venture (JV) of Skanska USA Civil West California District, Inc. (Skanska) and Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. — for pre-construction services on the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail project. The first section of the project will run on Van Nuys Boulevard between the G Line’s Van Nuys Station and the intersection of Van Nuys Blvd. and San Fernando Road. Staff report
•The Board will consider a motion to study how the pilot Business Interruption Fund (BIF) could be used to help businesses impacted by future construction of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail project. The BIF was used to help businesses along the K Line during its construction.
•The Board will consider approving new mobility improvements in Monterey Park and Pasadena to be funded by the SR-710 North project. Quick context: at one time that project proposed to extend the 710 north from its terminus in Alhambra to the 210 in Pasadena. The Metro Board decided instead to use the funds on a variety of other projects to improve mobility in the area. Staff report and appendix with recommended projects.

•The Board will consider a motion calling for Metro staff to study and recommend how sensor technology can be used on future and existing Metro buses to detect pedestrians and prevent accidents.

•The Board will consider a motion directing Metro to work with the cities of Pico Rivera and Commerce, Metrolink, the California High- Speed Rail Authority and Amtrak to study the possibility of adding a regional rail station in Pico-Rivera along the line connecting Union Station and Anaheim.

Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects