LCTI: Commerce Moving Forward

Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) Implementation Grant

City of Commerce | Commerce Moving Forward

June 2021 – March 2025

Project Details

Commerce Moving Forward includes construction of the first set of Class II bike lanes in the city. A community-based tree planting project facilitated by TreePeople will provide 400 shade trees near pedestrian, bike, and transit corridors and engage residents directly with tree planting and tree care. City of Commerce Transit, the LA Region's only fare-free transit system, will add two zero-emission fixed route buses and two zero-emission Dial-A-Ride shuttles to kickstart the City's commitment to a zero-emission fleet. Lastly, development of a Transit-Oriented Development and Displacement Avoidance Plan will prepare Commerce for the buildout of LA Metro's future Citadel rail station to connect city residents and employees regionally.

Potential map alt text: The Road, Street and Highway Map covers the City of Commerce, a small, urban area of southeast Los Angeles. Within the City of Commerce a solid, thick line that is closed represents the project area. The project area is bordered by Vernon on the west, Los Angeles on the northwest, East Los Angeles on the north, Montebello on the east, Downey and Bell Gardens on the south, and Maywood on the southwest. The Los Angeles River forms part of its southwestern boundary, and the Rio Hondo separates it from Downey. The Long Beach and Santa Ana freeways run through the City of Commerce. The entire area is designated as an SB 535 disadvantaged community. A disconnected line represents Harbor Street and Commerce way bike routes. For more map details, please contact movingca@arb.ca.gov. — *Project Area Map, City of Commerce, CA in Los Angeles County*

Funding Details

Grant Amount: $3,240,078

Resource Contributions: $866,962

Project Total: $4,107,040

By the Numbers

Services, Vehicles & Equipment Funded

2 GreenPower EV250 30ft Low Floor Battery-Electric Transit Buses for transit service expansion
2 GreenPower EV Star Plus ADA Electric Shuttles for weekend service expansion of a dial-a-ride service
2 Level 2 Overnight 11kW Chargers
2 ABB Terra 54HV 50kW DC Chargers - Single CCS1 Connector
1.16 miles each way (12,200 linear feet) of new class II bike lane
400 shade trees along transit, bicycle, and pedestrian corridors
20 volunteer tree planting events and 48 volunteer tree care events
1 transit-oriented development (TOD) and displacement avoidance plan
At least 3 TOD and displacement avoidance planning public workshops
12 STEP Implementation Advisory Committee meetings
At least 2 clean transportation-related outreach events

Estimated Quantifiable Benefits

GHG emission reductions: 1,378 MTCO2e
NO_x reductions: 378 lbs
PM_2.5 reductions: 133 lbs
ROG reductions: 92 lbs
Passenger VMT reductions: 4,476,166 miles
Travel cost savings: $2,593,528
Transportation fossil fuel reductions: 117,328 gallons
Direct Jobs: 12
Indirect Jobs: 6
Induced Jobs: 8

Children in orange vests standing next to a tree they planted City of Commerce transit rider holding flowers and wearing a surgical mask standing in front of a bus

Children, wearing cloth and surgical masks sit on a City of Commerce transit bus Residents wearing orange vests prepare ground for tree planting

Community Details

Commerce Moving Forward focuses on the City of Commerce, which is a small, urban city in southeast Los Angeles. The four main residential neighborhoods in Commerce house a population that is 95% Hispanic or Latinx and are spread out throughout the city, next to industrial sites, warehouses and logistics facilities, freeways, and train tracks. Proximity to industry has led to significant exposure to environmental risks such as poor air quality and designation as a disadvantaged community per CalEnviroscreen 3.0. While the majority of Commerce’s 12,719 residents commute outside the city for work, approximately 56,400 employees (four times the residential population) commute into the city. Each STEP project was determined through its own specific engagement and planning processes. Through these processes, residents prioritized the need for access to bike lanes, weekend dial-a-ride service, more frequent fixed-route transit service, sidewalk shade, and affordable housing.

Community Benefits

Commerce Moving Forward takes a holistic equity approach to implementing active and clean transportation strategies. Currently, the city’s residential neighborhoods lack active and clean transportation options for all community members. STEP-funded projects will increase the clean transportation options available to community residents, while developing a plan for countering potential displacement risks and working directly with community residents to ensure the projects meet their transportation needs.

Outreach & Engagement Strategies

Surveys
Community advisory meetings
Volunteer tree planting and tree care events
Flyers and brochures
Canvassing and tabling
Project demonstrations

Target Populations

Older adults
Youth
Residents with disabilities
Non-English speakers
Residents without access to a vehicle
Low-income
Undocumented

Partnership Structure

Grantee

The City of Commerce is the local government overseeing the whole Commerce Moving Forward project. The City of Commerce is also the lead implementer on most of the project's components, including the expanded electric bus and shuttle services, the city's first bike lane, and the transit-oriented development and displacement avoidance plan.

Subgrantees

Community Partners

Contact

Alex Rocha | (323) 722-4805 Ext. 2811 | City of Commerce