Cerritos Authorizes Agreement Worth $127K for Exploration of Prospective Metro Rail Station Sites
The city of Cerritos, California, is taking a significant step towards regional rail connectivity between Los Angeles and Orange counties. The Cerritos City Council has recently approved a $127,000 contract with Cityworks Design, a Los Angeles-based firm, to study possible station locations for the proposed Southeast Gateway Line.
This study will evaluate where a future Metro light rail stop could be placed within Cerritos, with the aim of positioning the city for future transit-oriented development. The project is strictly administrative and planning-related, and it qualifies for a "common sense exemption" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as it poses no risk of environmental impact[1][5].
The funds for this study will be sourced entirely from the city's Proposition A and C transportation reserves-restricted funds, totaling approximately $3.9 million[2][6]. It is worth noting that no money from the General Fund will be used for the study[3][7].
The decision to proceed with the study is attributed to Mayor Frank Yokoyama and Mayor pro tem Lynda Johnson, who have a majority on the Cerritos City Council[4]. The city staff is currently working to schedule a joint meeting with Metro and the Orange County Transportation Authority to discuss the potential extension of the Southeast Gateway Line into Orange County.
Cityworks Design, with over two decades of experience in light rail and transit planning, will deliver base maps, conceptual sketches, and renderings for potential station locations[8]. The study is expected to be completed in approximately six months, beginning in July 2025[9][10].
This development comes after the departure of former Councilmen Barrows and Vo, who had previously opposed any station in Cerritos[11]. With this new initiative, Cerritos is reopening the process and moving forward with the potential for a Metro light rail stop within its city boundaries.
[1] The study poses no risk of environmental impact and qualifies for a "common sense exemption" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). [2] The study will be funded entirely through the city's Proposition A and C transportation reserves-restricted funds. [3] No money from the General Fund will be used for the study. [4] The decision is attributed to Mayor Frank Yokoyama and Mayor pro tem Lynda Johnson, who have a majority on the Cerritos City Council. [5] The study poses no risk of environmental impact and qualifies for a "common sense exemption" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). [6] The city currently has about $3.9 million in those reserves. [7] No money from the General Fund will be used for the study. [8] Cityworks Design, a Los Angeles-based firm with over two decades of experience in light rail and transit planning, will deliver base maps, conceptual sketches, and renderings for potential station locations. [9] The study will be completed in approximately six months, beginning in July 2025. [10] The study is expected to be completed in approximately six months, beginning in July 2025. [11] Former Councilmen Barrows and Vo had previously opposed any station in Cerritos.
This project, led by the Cerritos City Council, aims to study potential station locations for the proposed Southeast Gateway Line's Metro light rail stop within Cerritos. The study's funding is sourced from the city's Proposition A and C transportation reserves, totaling approximately $3.9 million, and it qualifies for a "common sense exemption" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) due to minimal environmental risks. Cityworks Design, with extensive experience in light rail and transit planning, will deliver essential maps and sketches for the study. The study's completion is expected in about six months, starting in July 2025, following the departure of former Councilmen Barrows and Vo, who opposed the station in Cerritos. This new initiative reopens the process and moves forward with the potential for a Metro light rail stop within Cerritos' city boundaries. Additionally, the city staff is planning a joint meeting with Metro and the Orange County Transportation Authority to discuss the potential extension of the Southeast Gateway Line into Orange County.
