Los Angeles — Streetcar Engineering Fully Funded

Rail Transit Online — March 2011

The proposed Los Angeles downtown streetcar circulator now has sufficient funding to complete preliminary engineering and final environmental studies. A $1-million appropriation from the Los Angeles City Council was approved on Feb. 25, the money coming from $8.7 million in local return funds generated by Measure R, a transportation sales tax increase approved by voters in November 2008.

The project, estimated to cost $125 million, would be approximately four miles (6.4 km) long and would primarily run down Broadway serving Bunker Hill, the Grand Avenue cultural corridor, the Music Center, the Broadway retail district, South Park, the L.A. Live entertainment complex and the convention center. A recently released economic study estimated the streetcar would generate $1.1 billion in new development and 2,100 permanent jobs.

www.lastreetcar.org

Streetcar Environmental Study Contract Goes to HDR

The MTA has awarded HDR Engineering, Inc. a $2.26-million environmental documentation contract for the restoration of streetcar service in downtown Los Angeles. Initial tasks costing not more than $1.16 million include documentation of the alternatives analysis, advanced conceptual engineering and environmental technical studies. There are three options valued at $1.1 million that would be exercised if requested and funded by the L.A. Community Redevelopment Agency:

• completion of a Draft and Final Environmental Study/Report ($218,182);
• completion of a Federal Transit Administration Small Starts funding application ($268,299);
• a geotechnical report summary, utility relocation and traffic signal modification design ($613,519).

At its Feb. 18 meeting, the MTA board of directors agreed to serve as the co-ordinating agency for the AA and the Environmental Review. The board also agreed to appropriate the budget and staffing resources necessary for the project. Upon completion of the environmental review and FTA clearance, all documents and final records will be submitted to the appropriate agency designated by the City of Los Angeles to continue the project.

The streetcar would link the north end of downtown including the Bunker Hill business district and the Civic Center with the south end and Staples Center, the Convention Center and the L.A. Live entertainment venue.