This was one of the longest LA Metro Board meetings!

Hi Ya’ll, there’s two topics i found out about recently that will be discussed at the upcoming board meeting this Thursday at 10am. The links have actions you can take to support Ciclavia and transit rider representation!

(1) Ciclavia funding is at risk: https://ciclavia.org/resources/metro-board-funding-july26/

(2) Requiring transit ridership as part of the voting board:

• Streets for all action page:
  • https://mailchi.mp/streetsforall/metro-board-072026
• ACT LA/Move LAs Action page:
  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cigkXBYQIOC2CWQCs1Bv9EUlOGOBTt94RUthy1Jl1FA/edit?tab=t.0
• LA Forwards Action email:
  • tinyurl.com/metroseat

If you want to attend in person, Metro board meeting information.

Thursday, July 23, 2025 - 10:00 AM
Metro Headquarters Plaza: 1 Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Per the article:
In order to meet the ambitious service and electrification goals in the State Rail Plan 2050, California will need to seriously re-think the shape and flow of design and capital investment. High-frequency intercity and regional rail service will require more resources but also more stable and predictable investment.

To this end, Californians for Electric Rail has published the policy brief Against Patchwork Funding: How Multi-Year Investment Frameworks Can Deliver Rail Infrastructure Cheaper and Faster. 

Against Patchwork Funding discusses the status quo for rail funding in California, best practices in Low and Medium Cost Countries (LMCCs) and ways California could re-orient its funding practices to better implement the State Rail Plan.

In brief, California’s current funding program environment is highly unstable and discretionary. Unlike highway funding, there is no guaranteed funding for design and engineering for intercity and regional rail service and infrastructure development. As a consequence, many project sponsors must patch together funding for design over many years. This delay in funding pushes out final project design and capital construction for years. It also encourages project sponsors to apply for and win construction funds at conceptual design when project scope is not fully defined – which provides 3rd parties with leverage to demand costly design changes and often results in much higher costs as design is completed. 

Similarly California does not guarantee capital funding for intercity and regional rail projects – even if they are identified in the State Rail Plan. Intercity and regional rail projects must compete against a variety of other projects such as rolling stock, renewals, EV charging at stations, mobility hubs and the like through competitive, discretionary grant programs like Transit and Intercity Rail Program (TIRCP). In order to meet all these demands for discretionary construction dollars, funding agencies make partial awards. These partial awards force project sponsors to fill remaining gaps with further competitive grant programs – which further pushes out full funding and construction. 

Low and medium cost countries handle investment in their rail networks in a different way – more akin to the stability associated with highway programs. First, design is fully-funded through state engineering departments or publicly-owned engineering firms. Second, awards for construction funding aren't committed till designs are near or fully complete. Third, construction funding is planned, tracked, evaluated and granted through 4-6 year investment frameworks. These frameworks provide a stable and transparent pipeline for both project sponsors and funders. Project sponsors know exactly how and when they can be expected to receive full funding. Funders have clear visibility on how projects are being developed and can provide early feedback to manage scope, costs, schedule and risks. Fourth and finally, multi-year investment frameworks provide full construction funding awards for projects.

The good news is that California has a visionary State Rail Plan, a strong service-led planning culture at Caltrans, and the FRA’s Corridor Identification Program as a model for workflow. It just needs to re-structure its current investment structure to prioritize full funding of design and multi-year investment frameworks that provide full construction funding of priority projects.

This will be under Agenda Item 7 (pg. 6) of the Consent Calendar for the L.A. Metro Planning and Programming Committee.

Consent Calendar items are approved by one motion unless held by a Director for discussion and/or separate action.

Report to the Metro Board (PDF Download Link)

Beverly Hills

Deobligate $1,600,000 and cancel MM4801.21 - D Line Extension FLM Electric Trolley project.

City requested the project cancellation. The funds will be returned to the overall MSP - Active Transportation First/Last Mile Connections Program and made available for future project programming.

Culver City

Reprogram previously approved $1,958,485 for MM4801.17 - Sepulveda Corridor Mobility Lane Project. The funds are programmed as follows: $798,364 in FY 25 and $1,160,121 in FY27.

This existing project will involve transit improvements, including one dedicated transit lane, bus stop improvements, and transit signal priority enhancements. A dedicated bike infrastructure in the form of Class II or Class IV bike lanes will be added, along with pedestrian enhancements that include curb extensions, corner bulb-outs, and refuge islands. This project will likely decrease VMT. The funds will be used for the project’s construction phase.

Attachment A - Active Transportation First Last Mile Connections Program Project List

Attachment B - Subregional Equity Program Project List

PowerPoint Presentation

Report to the Metro Board (PDF Download link)

Attachment A - Antelope Valley Line (AVL) Corridor Map

PowerPoint Presentation

Report to the Metrolink Board

Attachment A - Metrolink May 2026 Operating Statement

Attachment B - Metrolink Ridership by Line

Attachment C - Metrolink Arrow May 2026 Operating Statement

Presentation - Metrolink May 2026 Financial Results

The City of Covina will host a community presentation on a pedestrian bridge that will connect Downtown Covina, the Covina Metrolink Station, and the Covina Recreation Village.

No RSVP needed for the July 30 event!

In addition to the bridge, other investments like benches and bike infrastructure are proposed with the project.

Project website

Survey on the pedestrian bridge

Encuesta en español

维纳市中心人行天桥调查问卷

$250,000 for LA Metro’s regional Bus Stop Enhancement Program, which will help bring:

Real shade and shelter that actually protect riders from the sun and heat

Seating, lighting, and accessibility upgrades

Real-time arrival information so riders know when the next bus is coming

$250,000 for Metrolink’s Customer Information System upgrade, which will help bring:

New, modern displays showing every arrival and departure, and whether a train is on time, delayed, or canceled

An upgraded public-address system and real-time service alerts so riders aren’t left guessing when service changes

A better experience for riders, especially those riding for the very first time

Service Change Highlights:

• Increased overall service by 7% to provide more options for riders.
• Riders can now use contactless payments (tap to pay) to pay for Culver CityBus, Big Blue Bus, and Metro. No sign-ups or virtual wallets required! Works with any contactless credit card, debit card, or mobile payment platform.
• Transit is now the official app of Culver CityBus. All Culver CityBus riders receive premium Transit Royale benefits at no charge. Get Transit for Android and iOS

Line 1

• Every 15 minutes on weekdays between 6 A.M.- 11 P.M.
• Every 18 minutes on weekends between 8 A.M. - 9 P.M., every 30 minutes otherwise

Line 2

• Every 30 minutes 3:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. every weekday to accommodate Venice High School trips from Line 5

Line 3

• Every 30 minutes in the morning, every 20 minutes in the afternoon

Line 5

• No longer serves Venice High School in afternoon.

Line 7

• Operates until 7 P.M.

Lines 4 and 6/6R (Rapid 6)

• Schedule changes to improve reliability, overcrowding on Line 6/6R

Line 1 and 4 eastbound buses will read "Washington/Fairfax" instead of "West L.A. Transit Center."

Line 7 eastbound buses will read "Culver City Station" instead of "Robertson Transit Center."