Regional Connector Transit Corridor Final Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report

2012·44.8 MB·English

by  Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Regional Connector Transit Corridor
Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report
StateClearinghouseNo.2009031043
January 20, 2012

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FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
LEAD AGENCIES: Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation and Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
STATE CLEARINGHOUSE NO. 2009031043
TITLE OF PROPOSED ACTION: Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project
ABSTRACT: The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) proposes to
implement a light rail connector in downtown Los Angeles that will directly link the tracks of the Metro Gold
Line light rail system with the Metro Blue Line and future Metro Expo Line. The connector would run from
the current Metro Blue Line and future Metro Expo Line terminus at 7th Street/Metro Center Station to a
point on the Metro Gold Line near 1st and Alameda Streets. The Regional Connector Transit Corridor project
area is in downtown Los Angeles and encompasses approximately two square miles. The project length is
slightly less than two miles. The entire project area is within the City of Los Angeles. The boundaries of the
project area generally extend north to the US 101 Freeway, east to the Los Angeles River, south to 9th Street,
and west to the SR 110 Freeway. Alternatives studied include a No Build Alternative, a Transportation
System Management (TSM) Alternative, and three light rail transit (LRT) build alternatives as follows:
 No Build
 TSM
 At-Grade Emphasis LRT Alternative
 Underground Emphasis LRT Alternative
 Locally Preferred Alternative (formerly referred to as Fully Underground LRT Alternative)

This report is a combined Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR),
satisfying the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA). This Final EIS/EIR defines the alternatives studied and describes each alternative’s associated
potential transportation and environmental impacts, operating and maintenance and capital costs, and
potential funding sources. Potential areas of impact include transit, traffic, parking, land
use/neighborhoods, land acquisition, displacement and relocation, equity and environmental justice
considerations, visual quality, air quality, climate change, noise and vibration, geology, soils and seismicity,
exposure to hazardous substances, water resources, biological resources, energy resources, safety and
security, historic, archaeological and paleontological resources, community facilities and parklands,
construction impacts, and other CEQA determinations. Mitigation measures for the impacts of the
alternatives are also identified. Included within this Final EIS/EIR is a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program (MMRP). The information contained in this document will be used by the Metro Board of
Directors to make a decision on whether to implement the project and to confirm the Locally Preferred
Alternative in conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration for implementation.
Additional written comments and/or questions concerning this document should be directed to:
Ms. Dolores Roybal-Saltarelli Mr. Raymond Sukys Mr. Ray Tellis
Project Manager Office of Planning and Program Federal Transit Administration
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Development Region IX
Transportation Authority Federal Transit Administration Los Angeles Metropolitan Office
One Gateway Plaza, MS 99-22-2 Region IX 888 S. Figueroa St., Suite 1850
Los Angeles, CA 90012 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650 Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone [phone] San Francisco, CA 94105 Phone [phone]
Phone [phone]
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PREFACE
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (Metro) have prepared this Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a light rail transit (LRT) investment in Los Angeles County, California.
FTA is the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Metro is the lead
agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The proposed action is a light rail
extension connecting the Metro Blue Line (and future Metro Expo Line) and Metro Gold Line tracks
in downtown Los Angeles. The connection would enable passengers on all three lines to travel
cross-county through downtown Los Angeles without needing to transfer. The proposed granting of
federal funds for the project is the federal action that necessitates analysis under NEPA.
This project results from nearly 20 years of planning and environmental review. In January 2009,
Metro completed an Alternatives Analysis that evaluated transit mode and alignment alternatives in
the Regional Connector Transit Corridor. This resulted in Metro’s narrowing of over 30 light rail
alternatives down to two alternatives. A third light rail alternative was added during preparation of
the Draft EIS/EIR in response to community input. The Draft EIS/EIR was released for public
review and comment on September 3, 2010. Based on the technical analysis in the Draft EIS/EIR
and public comments received, the Metro Board of Directors designated a Locally Preferred
Alternative (LPA) and authorized preparation of this Final EIS/EIR on October 28, 2010. A
Supplemental Environmental Assessment/Recirculated Sections of the Draft Environmental
Impact Report (Supplemental EA/Recirculated Draft EIR Sections) document was released for
public review and comment on July 22, 2011 in order to formally document refinements made to
the LPA during preliminary engineering and the related environmental effects. The Regional
Connector Transit Corridor Project is included in Metro’s Long Range Transportation Plan and is
part of the Regional Transportation Plan adopted by the Southern California Association of
Governments, the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, in 2008.
This Final EIS/EIR is designed to take the decision process one step further, by evaluating the LPA
in greater detail. Steps in the further evaluation include:
 Refinements of the LPA – Incorporates design refinements made based on the Draft
EIS/EIR and public input, as well as design options such as pedestrian connections
at stations.
 Confirmation of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures – This Final EIS/EIR
studies the LPA in increased detail and confirms environmental impacts and
mitigation measures.
Alternatives presented in the Draft EIS/EIR have been carried forward into this Final EIS/EIR.
Discussion of the Fully Underground LRT Alternative has been updated to reflect its designation by
the Metro Board of Directors as the LPA, and subsequent design refinements made to address
environmental impacts. This Final EIS/EIR also analyzes a No Build Alternative, a relatively low
cost Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative, the At-Grade Emphasis LRT
Alternative, and the Underground Emphasis LRT Alternative.
This Final EIS/EIR presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of the alternatives. In Chapter
1, the Final EIS/EIR presents the purpose and need for a transit investment within the Regional
Connector Transit Corridor. Chapter 2 summarizes the alternatives considered, including physical
features and operating characteristics. Chapter 3 summarizes the transportation benefits and
impacts of each alternative. Environmental factors, impacts, and mitigation are discussed in
Chapter 4. Chapter 5 contains the Section 4(f) evaluation. Chapter 6 addresses each alternative’s
cost and financial feasibility, while Chapter 7 addresses public outreach. Chapter 8 contains the
mitigation measures to be implemented for the LPA. Chapter 9 contains a summary of the
responses to comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR and Supplemental EA/Recirculated Draft
EIR Sections (full text of the comments and responses is provided in Appendices F-2, F-3, and F-4).
Chapter 10 contains additional CEQA analysis to address the recent court decision in Sunnyvale
West Neighborhood Association v. City of Sunnyvale City Council. More detailed technical
documentation, identified in the Table of Contents, is available for those interested in the analysis
methodology and results appendices.
During the Draft EIS/EIR circulation period, Metro held two public hearings to receive oral and
written testimony on the document from the general public and accepted comments via mail and e-
mail. The public hearings were conducted in compliance with CEQA and NEPA. A comprehensive
effort to inform the public through email, mail, print, broadcast and digital media, flyers, social
networking, and other web-based tools was undertaken on a similar scale with previous rounds of
meetings. The 45-day comment period began on September 3, 2010 and ended on October 18,
2010. The Metro Board of Directors designated the Fully Underground LRT Alternative as the LPA
on October 28, 2010 after considering the alternatives and evaluation results in the Draft EIS/EIR,
written comments on the document, and testimony received at the public hearings. The LPA
project definition scope was submitted to FTA for approval into the New Starts Preliminary
Engineering (PE) phase of project development. As part of the PE process, the project was further
refined as more detailed decisions are made within the designated project scope. Refinements will
be confirmed during final design. Some portions of the Draft EIS/EIR (the Supplemental
EA/Recirculated Draft EIR Sections) pertaining to these refinements were recirculated for a 45-day
public review between July 22, 2011 and September 6, 2011. The PE phase also includes
completion of the NEPA process with a Record of Decision (ROD). A federal commitment to fund
the project would not be made until after the ROD is signed and the project completes the PE
design phase.
Executive Summary
Introduction
The Regional Connector Transit Corridor project (Regional Connector) is a vital public transit infrastructure
investment that would enhance investments already made in the existing Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (Metro) Rail system. It would link four distinct travel corridors covering over 80 miles
across Los Angeles County through the center of downtown Los Angeles. Metro has envisioned this connection
for nearly two decades beginning in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Figure ES-1 shows the regional Metro Rail lines
expected to be in operation by the year 2035, and how the Regional Connector would serve as a central link
between them.
Metro Orange Line Burbank
North
Hollywood
San Fernando Valley
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension
Universal City to Azusa (eventually
Montclair)
Pasadena
San Gabriel Valley
Metro Red Line
Highland
Hollywood Park
El Monte
Regional El Monte Busway
UCLA/Westwood Mid-Wilshire Connector
Metro
Westside Extension to Westwood Purple Eastside Extension
West Los Angeles Line Phase 2
East Los Angeles
Expo Phase 1
to Culver City Metro Gold Line to
toE Sxapnot Pa hMasoen i2ca Culver East Los Angeles Montebello
City
Santa Monica
Crenshaw-Prairie
Huntington Park
South
Los Angeles
LAX Green Whittier
Line Extension
South Gate
LAX Ceenntteerrr
Existing Metro Rail Lines
and Station
Metro Green Line
Existing Metro Transitways
Norwalk and Station
Compton Metro Rail Line Under
Construction and Station
Redondo Beach Harbor
Transitway Metro Rail Lines Under Study
Metro Blue Line
South Bay Metro Proposed Region 3 aMlil eCsonnect´or
Green Line Extension
Figure ES-1: Existing and Proposed Regional Metro Rail Lines (2035)
Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report Page ES-1
Regional Connector Transit Corridor
Executive Summary
The Regional Connector would serve communities across the region, allowing
The project area is
greater accessibility while also supporting population and employment growth in
the largest regional downtown Los Angeles. The proposed Regional Connector would directly link 7th
Street/Metro Center Station (the Metro Blue Line terminus and Metro Expo Line
employment center
terminus) located at 7th and Figueroa Streets, to the Metro Gold Line near Little
in Los Angeles Tokyo/Arts District Station at 1st and Alameda Streets. The project would include
new stations downtown and would allow continuous train operations between
County
Long Beach and Montclair and from East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley
to Santa Monica without the need to transfer. It would also provide passengers
with direct trains into the heart of the business and civic districts, whereas the
Metro Gold Line currently passes along the edge of downtown. The following
map (Figure ES-2) illustrates the present gap in the light rail network between
the Metro Blue and Gold Lines. They are currently connected by only the heavy
rail Metro Red and Purple Lines requiring two transfers.
The project area is the largest regional employment center in Los Angeles
County, and is densely developed with multi-family residences, industrial
and public lands, commercial and retail establishments, government office
buildings, and high-rise office towers. The corridor crosses several distinct
community areas within downtown including the dense urban core of the
Financial District; the residential high rises and regional entertainment centers
of Bunker Hill; the Civic Center with a concentration of federal, state, and local
government offices; residential and retail uses in the historic structures of the
Historic Core; and the culturally unique, mixed-uses of Little Tokyo and the
Arts District. Figure ES-2 shows the general locations of these neighborhoods.
In addition to mobility benefits, the location of the Regional Connector
project has the potential to improve the livability of the entire Los Angeles
County region. The Regional Connector project fills the missing link in the
Los Angeles rail network and, by virtue of its location, would afford the region
with significant transportation, economic, land use, and environmental
benefits. The analysis presented in this document shows that improved
mobility to and through downtown Los Angeles has the potential to boost
economic development and improve social justice by providing better access
to employment, educational opportunities, and cultural activities. Improved
transit connectivity would increase transit ridership which would also
generate environmental benefits through reduced vehicle trips, less roadway
congestion, and improved air quality.
In June 2008, Metro included the Regional Connector Transit Corridor project
in its Draft Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) as a rail project in the
Tier 1 Unfunded Strategic Plan. Measure R identified $160 million for the
Regional Connector. Additional funding will need to be secured to build
and operate the line. This is consistent with the Regional Transportation
Plan (RTP) which was approved by the Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG) in May 2008.
The Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) was made available
to identified stakeholders, agencies, and the general public for review and
comment for a 45-day review period from September 3, 2010 through
October 18, 2010. On October 28, 2010, the Metro Board of Directors voted
Page ES-2 Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report
Regional Connector Transit Corridor
Executive Summary
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Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report Page ES-3
Regional Connector Transit Corridor