TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to administer and execute all necessary documents to participate in the Gateway Cities Council of Governments Needs Assessment Study of the State Route 91 (SR-91) and Interstate 605 Freeway (I-605) Corridor in an amount not to exceed $20,000. (Districts 3,4,5,9)
DISCUSSION
The impact of increased auto and truck congestion on and around the SR-91 and I-605 Freeway interchange has been an issue of discussion amongst impacted cities in the Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG). Based upon those discussions, the COG Board of Directors voted to initiate a Needs Assessment Study of the SR-91/I-605 Corridor and invite the cities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Compton, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs and Whittier and the County of Los Angeles to participate. These cities align the SR-91 Freeway from Alameda Street east to the Orange County line, and the I-605 Freeway from the northerly COG boundary south to the Orange County line (see attachment).
The Needs Assessment would serve as a preliminary study to determine whether or not there is a need to initiate a major corridor study to determine physical improvements required to accommodate future growth, and if so, identify the scope and limits of that study. Alternatively, the assessment may find that the needs would best be served by a series of short-term improvements of limited scope. The results of the Needs Assessment could also be used to secure regional and state funding and support if physical improvements are found to be warranted, as well as to create more formalized and extensive community participation. Likely areas of community concern include air quality, right-of-way or property impacts, aesthetics, noise and arterial highways.
Because a number of member cities are involved in efforts to fund improvements of both the I-5 and I-710 corridors, the COG Executive Committee adopted a resolution on November 3, 2004 to clearly rank the priorities of the subregion. That resolution states "that the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, while seeking sufficient resources to maintain a forward momentum for each of its three freeway improvement initiatives, will respect the following sequence of priority funding in its legislative advocacy efforts and in its work with state and regional transportation agencies: first, I-5; then I-710; then SR-91/I-605."
The COG estimates the first year's cost of this study to be $220,000. Thirteen cities and the County have been invited to contribute $20,000 each toward the cost of the study. As of December 31, 2004, only Compton, Hawaiian Gardens, Long Beach and the County of Los Angeles had not approved their participation in the Needs Assessment study. The cities that had already approved the agreement are Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Lakewood, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs and Whittier.
The structure calls for the creation of an SR-91/I-605 Corridor Cities Committee composed of one Council Member from each Corridor city plus a representative from the County of Los Angeles. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) would also be convened, composed of a Public Works Official appointed by the City Manager of each Corridor city and a representative from the County appointed by the appropriate County authority. The Gateway Cities COG will provide staff and consultant support.
This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna Gwin on January 5, 2005, and by Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on January XX, 2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Immediate City Council action is requested to allow the COG to proceed with action required to initiate the Needs Assessment Study for the SR-91/I-605 Corridor.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Long Beach will contribute $20,000 toward the cost of the Needs Assessment Study. Sufficient Transportation funds are budgeted in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Department of Public Works (PW) to cover the cost of the study.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS