CITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORTCITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
Item No. Item No.
Item No.
Item No.
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Ernie Hernandez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Authorization to Publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Rail Feasibility Study Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council will consider authorizing staff to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consultant to analyze the feasibility of constructing a rail transit option in the City of Commerce.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
The City of Commerce includes approximately 6.54 square miles of land with various uses, including a wide range of large and small businesses, prime residential neighborhoods, quality schools, and amenities. The City is continuously looking to improve its facilities and infrastructure for its residents, providing them with a high-quality lifestyle.
The City has a population of approximately 13,000 residents; however, its daytime population increases by 117%. On February 28, 2023, as part of a mid-year request, the City Council approved a budget of $77,000.00 for the purpose of developing a Rail Analysis for the City. In 2023, staff connected with an engineering consultant who specializes in rail and transit analytical solutions for a regional and global market and received a letter of intent to complete the service for $77,000.00.
The City, at the time, did not move forward with the analysis. In 2025, staff reached back to the firm to request an updated letter of intent; the consultant shared that the company was working creatively with the City’s budget, a phased approach to identify and screen for a viable transit connector would require a significantly larger budget to accommodate for the essential technical analyses to support a professionally sound recommendation. The consultant estimates that a rail transit feasibility study could be estimated at $300,000.00-$500,000.00, depending on the City’s requirements and the extent of anticipated community engagement.
The City of Commerce will seek to release an RFP to hire a consultant to assess the feasibility of a rail within City boundaries. For the purpose of this study, the rail system feasibility study will look into creative transit (rail and high-capacity transit) solutions that will alleviate traffic congestion and facilitate movement for the residential and commercial population across the City of Commerce. Each consultant will submit their proposal along with the anticipated cost to complete a rail feasibility study for the City of Commerce.
Upon approval from the City Council, staff will plan to release an RFP in late June.
The expected feasibility study for the contract would include developing a rail transit option that would benefit the City’s needs, which would clearly define the project for further evaluation. The scope of work would also include an evaluation of the existing and future conditions related to travel demand behavior, transportation performance, infrastructure, and potential locations for a rail service.
The scope of work in the feasibility study would also include preliminary engineering and environmental documentation work, including an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a rail transit option for the City. Staff plans on returning to the City Council at a subsequent meeting for the award of a contract to perform the initial scope of services to provide a clear and stable project definition for a rail transit project.
Next Steps:
Upon approval from the City Council, staff will plan to release an RFP in June. Staff will return to the City Council at a future meeting to recommend the award of a contract for the initial feasibility study.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be no fiscal impact associated with soliciting proposals for this feasibility study. As reflected above, a fiscal impact authorization would be needed to award a contract.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC GOALS:
This staff report relates to the strategic goal of Fiscal Sustainability, Guiding Principle 3: Implement a compensation philosophy that allows the City to proactively compete for and retain top-qualified personnel.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City of Commerce at this time.
By approving this proposed Second Amendment, the adjustment in legal service rates would be memorialized as reflected in the attached amendment.
ALTERNATIVES:
Approve staff recommendation; and/or
Provide further direction to staff
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN:
Economic Growth
Guiding Principle 3, Guiding Principle 3: Support a long-range planning vision through the City’s General Plan, zoning ordinance, and related land use planning documents that incorporate community and stakeholder input and provide a compass for strategic economic growth, infrastructure investments, and city fiscal planning.\ Prepared by: Gisselle S. Delgado, Senior Management Analyst Respectfully submitted: Ernie Hernandez, City Manager
Approved as to form: Noel Tapia, City Attorney
City of Commerce Staff Report
May 27, 2025