LA Metro: Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank Feasibility Study

CPOG was the public outreach firm for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Feasibility Study (Study) with Mott MacDonald. The Study sought to identify the feasibility and opportunity to increase transit service throughout the day between the cities of Los Angeles, Glendale, and Burbank along the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line (LA-Glendale-Burbank Corridor) and consider three modes of operation: enhanced Metrolink service, Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), and Light Rail Transit (LRT.)

CPOG conducted stakeholder outreach to identify stakeholder priorities and elicit feedback on project goals and findings. A Corridor Cities Working Group (CCWG) was created to include the cities of Los Angeles, Glendale, and Burbank; Los Angeles Department of Transportation; Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Mitch O’Farrell, Gil Cedillo; Supervisors Hilda Solis, Kathryn Barger; and Metrolink. Five partnership meetings were hosted with the CCWG to provide (1) Project Introduction, (2) Update on Infill Stations, (3) Discussion about LRT, (4) Review results, and (5) Provide a Draft Report update. Additional meetings were held with key stakeholders including LOSSAN, Burbank Airport, LA Metro West Santa Ana Branch Team, and LA Metro Link US Team, DreamWorks, Disney, Pelanconi and Rancho Homeowners Associations, Taylor Yard Community, North Los Angeles County Transportation Coalition, and Alliance of River Communities.

In addition to traditional outreach in the form of one-on-one key stakeholder meetings, community association and organization meetings, and activity centers, outreach to wider audience to include riders from the Antelope Valley and Ventura County Lines was conducted through an online public opinion survey to obtain feedback on study findings. The survey, via Survey Monkey platform, was provided to stakeholders within the corridor through seat drops with a QR code to link directly to the survey to Metrolink riders on the Antelope Valley and Ventura County Lines, Metro and Metrolink social media, and city-specific website and social media platforms. CPOG worked with Mott MacDonald and Metro to determine the survey questions, which were provided in three languages appropriate to the corridor – English, Spanish, and Armenian. More than 3,500 stakeholders participated in the survey. Study results were presented to the Metro Board in Fall 2019.