Project Information

Bid Title

Addendum No. 1 - Transit-to-Parks Services in Griffith Park Memo - Request for Proposal for the Griffith Park Gateway Concessions (CON-M26-001)

Issuing Agency

Los Angeles California parks

Location

California

Published Date

Feb 2, 2026

Closing Date

Mar 5, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Project Description

Addendum No. 1 - Transit-to-Parks Services in Griffith Park Memo NEW

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DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION

AND PARKS

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RENATA SIMRIL

PRESIDENT

LUIS SANCHEZ

VICE PRESIDENT

TAFARAI BAYNE

MARIE LLOYD

TAKISHA SARDIN

BOARD SECRETARY

(213) 202-2640

City of Los Angeles

California

KAREN BASS

MAYOR

February 2, 2026

JIMMY KIM

GENERAL MANAGER

MATTHEW RUDNICK

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CATHIE SANTO DOMINGO

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

BRENDA AGUIRRE

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

CHINYERE STONEHAM

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

(213) 202-2633

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

GRIFFITH PARK GATEWAY CONCESSIONS

(RFP# CON-M26-001)

Addendum No. 1

The Request for Proposal for the Griffith Park Gateway Concessions has been modified

as follows:

1. RFP Exhibit N is added and attached to this Addendum No. 1 – Transit-to-Parks

Services in Griffith Park Memo has been added for informational purposes.

221 N. FIGUEROA STREET, SUITE 350, LOS ANGELES CA 90012 – www.LAPARKS.ORG

RFP EXHIBIT N

CITY OF LOS ANGELES

INTER-DEPARTMENTAL MEMORANDUM

Date:

August 13, 2025

To:

Honorable City Council

c/o City Clerk, Room 395, City Hall

Attention: Honorable Heather Hutt, Chair, Transportation Committee

From:

Laura Rubio-Cornejo, General Manager

Department of Transportation

Subject:

TRANSIT-TO-PARKS SERVICES IN GRIFFITH PARK

SUMMARY

In response to Council File (CF) 23-0441, this report outlines the Los Angeles Department of

Transportation (LADOT) recommendations for the redeployment of LADOT buses as a pilot Transit-to-

Parks service connecting the existing Metro B Line (Red) to the Park's northern amenities, including the

Los Angeles Zoo (Zoo).

RECOMMENDATION

That the City Council NOTE and FILE this report.

BACKGROUND

In December 2019, LADOT, in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), launched

a pilot transit service known as Parkline, connecting the iconic Griffith Observatory with the broader

Griffith Park. This project, funded by RAP and operated by LADOT using decommissioned CityRide

vehicles, aimed to provide convenient and sustainable mobility options for park-goers. This initiative not

only aimed to enhance accessibility within Griffith Park but also underscored the City's commitment to

environmental sustainability through the creative reuse of existing resources.

In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and closure of the Griffith Observatory, LADOT

and RAP made the decision to temporarily pause Parkline service. To date, the Parkline remains

suspended due to insufficient resources and a shortage of drivers and operable vehicles.

In June 2023, the Los Angeles City Council (Council) directed LADOT, with support from RAP, to report

back with recommendations for the redeployment of LADOT buses as a pilot Transit-to-Parks service to

connect the Metro B Line to northern Griffith Park destinations, including the Zoo. Specifically, the

Council requested an evaluation of potential routes, termini, and stop locations, along with an

assessment of whether an interior park circulator and Zoo-specific service should operate separately or

as a combined route. The report is also expected to include operational needs such as staffing, funding,

and the resources required to maintain service with 15-minute headways or better.

Honorable Heather Hutt

2

August 13, 2025

In July 2024, the Council directed LADOT to initiate a revised Transit Service Analysis (TSA) to identify

potential service changes that would reduce ongoing operational expenses (CF 18-0244-S4). In October

2024, LADOT released a Task Order Solicitation (TOS) to initiate a TSA, now referred to as a

Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA), and on November 14, 2024, LADOT held a mandatory Pre­

Submittal Conference. All Proposals were submitted in February 2025, and the selection panel

conducted interviews on April 2, 2025. LADOT aims to award and execute the contract by the summer of

2025.

DISCUSSION

LADOT conducted a comprehensive analysis of potential solutions to replace the Parkline Shuttle and

optimize transportation within Griffith Park, including the costs, vehicles, and human resources needed

in order to operate the route. LADOT identified a new Transit-to-Parks route that combines an interior

park circulator and Zoo-specific service, as outlined below, to be evaluated in the upcoming new COA

which will be an in-depth service assessment with recommendations for new bus service that better

reflects current travel patterns.

Proposed Route

The identified new route (See Exhibit A - Map of Proposed Service) for the Transit-to-Parks service

envisions an efficient and convenient transportation option that caters to the diverse needs of Griffith

Park visitors. The route is designed to start at the Metro B Line (formerly known as the Red Line)

Universal/Studio City station, providing a seamless link to the regional Metro rail network. Starting at

this central point, both maximizes accessibility and encourages a regional car-free journey to the Zoo

and various other destinations within Griffith Park.

The service would proceed from the Universal/Studio City station directly to the Zoo, serving as a

dedicated connection to this attraction. The route will then continue its journey to terminate at The

Southern Railroad, providing access to the scenic and recreational areas within Griffith Park. The return

trip will follow the same path in reverse, ensuring that passengers can easily return to the

Universal/Studio City station.

Proposed Stop Locations:

• Metro B (Red) Line Universal/Studio City Station

• Travel Town

• Live Steamers

• Zoo / Autry Museum

• Crystal Springs / Griffith Park Drive

• Ranger Station / Visitor Center

• Southern Railroad

This route focuses on connecting the Metro B Line to the northern amenities of Griffith Park, such as the

Zoo and Pony Rides. While it does not extend to the southern portion of the park where the Observatory

and Greek Theatre are located, those destinations are currently served by the existing DASH

Observatory route, which connects to the Metro B Line at the Sunset/Vermont station. By maintaining

the existing Griffith Park DASH route to southern destinations within the park, and launching a new

Transit-to-Parks route to serve northern destinations, the City can provide car-free travel options to all

major park attractions.

Honorable Heather Hutt

3

August 13, 2025

This approach offers lower operational costs than operating a separate interior park circulator and Zoo­

specific service by reducing fuel, maintenance, and staffing expenses. It minimizes the number of

vehicles in rotation, which helps optimize resources and supports the City’s sustainability goals by

lowering emissions and the overall carbon footprint. Finally, by reducing the number of drivers needed,

the combined route makes it more feasible to staff and maintain consistent service levels. Overall, this

combined service option reduces operational costs, fleet requirements, and driver demands and will

allow LADOT to maintain 15-minute headways during operating hours.

The route would operate exclusively on weekends, mirroring the previous Parkline schedule, with a 15-

minute headway between shuttle departures to maintain reliable transportation within Griffith Park.

Headways

15 Minutes

Service Hours

Weekends Only

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

One Way Travel Time One Way Mileage

40 Minutes

9 Miles

Taken together, this proposed Transit-to-Parks route can provide equal or greater service as the former

Parkline shuttle, minimize costs, and complement the existing transportation options within Griffith

Park.

Resources Needed

Additional resources are needed in order to operate the new route, including new drivers, additional

vehicles, and operational funding. In total, LADOT estimates this new service requires approximately 8

vehicles, 12 drivers, and $1,020,000 in operational funding each year. The operations cost for the

proposed new service was estimated based on LADOT’s current hourly operating cost for transit service

operating out of the DASH Mid-City yard, multiplied by the number of revenue service hours required to

operate the route.

Vehicles Needed

6 Service Vehicles

2 Additional Spare Vehicles

Drivers Needed

12 Additional Drivers

Operating Cost

$1,020,000 Per Year

The operation of this service will be based at the Mid-City yard. The shuttle will operate out of this yard

because it is the closest to the service area, which minimizes non-revenue travel and reduces

deadheading costs. Its location supports more efficient operations, quicker response times, and lower

overall operating expenses than deploying the service from a more distant yard. LADOT recommends

using smaller cut-away vehicles, similar to those used for Cityride, which are better suited to navigate

the often narrow and winding roads within Griffith Park, offering improved maneuverability and

minimizing the impact on the park's environment. The previous Parkline service was operated with

refurbished decommissioned buses, some of which had already exceeded their useful life. These buses

have remained in storage for the past three years. Reintroducing these buses into service would entail

substantial costs, including comprehensive refurbishment efforts, and LADOT cannot ensure the

reliability of these vehicles due to their advanced age and prior wear and tear. For these reasons, LADOT

Honorable Heather Hutt

4

August 13, 2025

recommends acquiring new buses for this service. Based on research, new electric cutaway buses are

estimated to cost approximately $500,000 each, and the service would require a total of 8 vehicles. This

translates to an upfront capital cost of $4,000,000 solely for the purchase of these vehicles.

Furthermore, an additional $1,000,000 will be needed to enhance the bus yard and facilitate the

installation of more charging infrastructure. LADOT estimates an annual operations cost of

approximately $1,020,000, alongside a capital cost of $5,000,000.

LADOT will include an evaluation of this new route, including costs, in its forthcoming COA and report

back to Council with its recommendations to enhance the City’s transit services citywide.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

There is no impact to the General Fund at this time. The estimated cost for the operation and

management of the Parkline service, as well as the vehicle procurement required as outlined in this

report will have an impact on the General Fund. LADOT estimates an annual operations cost of

approximately $1,020,000, alongside a capital cost of $5,000,000. These cost estimates will need to be

further analyzed in the COA.

LRC:ks

Attachments

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 561720Janitorial Services
• NAICS 721211RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds

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