BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 577 Page 1 Date of Hearing: January 13, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair AB 577 (Nazarian) - As Amended: January 6, 2014 SUBJECT : Rail Construction: County of Los Angeles SUMMARY : Repeals the prohibition on the construction of any above-ground rail transit project from North Hollywood to Hazeltine Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. Specifically, this bill : 1)Repeals the prohibition on the construction of any above-ground rail transit project from North Hollywood to Hazeltine Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. 2)Repeals a now-obsolete provision of law imposing certain requirements on the construction phasing of a mass transportation rail project between the San Fernando Valley and downtown Los Angeles. EXISTING LAW : Prohibits the construction of any above-ground rail transit from North Hollywood to Hazeltine Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. FISCAL EFFECT : None COMMENTS : In 1991, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (now the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Commission, or MTA) purchased the Southern Pacific Burbank Branch, an abandoned commercial rail line, with an eye toward expanding mass transit to the San Fernando Valley. At the time, light rail was the preferred alternative for the line, to which there was substantial community opposition along a particular segment. The area's large Orthodox Jewish community was particularly vocal in its opposition, particularly due to concerns about the safety of rail crossings for pedestrians during the Sabbath. In response to those concerns, the Legislature passed AB 211 (Robbins, Chapter 72, Statutes of 1991), which prohibited the construction of any above-ground rail transit project along the Burbank Branch right-of-way from North Hollywood to Hazeltine Avenue. AB 211 additionally imposed certain requirements related to the phasing of construction on a rail project between the San Fernando Valley AB 577 Page 2 and downtown Los Angeles. This provision is now obsolete. With light rail off the table, MTA moved forward with construction of bus rapid transit along the Burbank Branch route. The route, known as the Orange Line, was completed in 2005. Since then, ridership has drastically exceeded MTA's initial estimate of an average of 16,000 riders on weekdays. In 2012, the 14-mile Orange Line's average daily ridership was 31,787. Riders report that buses are often so crowded at peak hours that they have to wait for multiple buses to pass before one arrives that has room for additional passengers. There is little way to expand the capacity of the route as long as it remains a bus rapid transit line. MTA built the Orange Line with the capability to be converted into a light rail line in the future, but is currently precluded from even considering such a conversion due the prohibition in law on light rail along a 3-5-mile section of the line. AB 577 repeals the AB 211 prohibition on the construction of light rail along a 3.5-mile section of the Orange Line, as well as the now-obsolete provision related to construction phasing. This bill does not specifically authorize the construction of light rail, but rather frees MTA to consider it as a future option for expanding transit capacity in the area. According to the author, "Light rail transit is the most economically efficient option, with significantly higher ridership potential than buses and lower cost than underground subways. The Greater San Fernando Valley needs a rail sytem on par with other parts of the region in order to transport a larger number of riders quickly and cost-efficiently. By repealing the ban on light rail installation along the Orange Line, AB 577 will allow the Valley to take the first step toward a 21st century transit system and lead to greater connectivity to the Red Line and other transportation lines throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley." REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support Valley Industry and Commerce Association Opposition AB 577 Page 3 None on file Analysis Prepared by : Anya Lawler / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093