Cerritos Approves a $127K Contract to Study Potential Metro Rail Station Locations 

June 29, 2025

Former Councilmen Barrows and Vo were against any station in Cerritos, now that they are gone, the city will open the process again.

By Brian Hews

In a move aimed at positioning the city for future transit-oriented development, the Cerritos City Council is set to approve a $127,000 contract with Cityworks Design to study possible station locations for the proposed Southeast Gateway Line. The study will evaluate where a future Metro light rail stop could be placed within city boundaries.

Cityworks Design, a Los Angeles-based firm with over two decades of experience in light rail and transit planning, has already worked on the Southeast Gateway Line alongside Metro for the past eight years. According to city staff, the firm brings both the specialized expertise and existing relationships needed to expedite planning efforts in Cerritos.

The agreement, up for formal approval at the June 26 council meeting, will task Cityworks with delivering base maps, conceptual sketches, and renderings for potential station locations. The study is expected to be completed in approximately six months, beginning in July 2025.

In a staff report, officials emphasized that the proposed work is strictly administrative and planning-related, not linked to any development or construction. As such, the project qualifies for a “common sense exemption” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as it poses no risk of environmental impact.

The study will be funded entirely through the city’s Proposition A and C transportation reserves—restricted funds generated by a voter-approved countywide sales tax. Cerritos currently has about $3.9 million in those reserves, which are typically used to support city-operated transit services like Cerritos on Wheels and Dial-A-Ride. No money from the General Fund will be used for the study.

City staff is also 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, signaling broader regional ambitions for the project.

The council is expected to adopt CEQA findings, authorize the contract, approve a budget amendment to allocate the funds, and give the city manager limited authority to approve future amendments.

The decision marks a significant step in positioning Cerritos as a future player in regional rail connectivity between Los Angeles and Orange counties.