Greetings from the State Capitol!

Hear from Mobility 21 Executive Director Jenny Larios as she welcomes coalition members to 2015. Click here to watch the video.

SAVE THE DATE!
Mobility 21 to Host Sacramento Legislative Reception

Join the Mobility 21 Board of Directors and Advisory Board Members in honoring California’s transportation leaders at a reception in Sacramento.

Tuesday, March 10
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The Citizen Hotel
926 J Street, Sacramento

  • $1,000: Includes complimentary attendance for three and logo on promotional materials and signage at the event
  • $500 (open to registered small businesses and nonprofits only): Includes complimentary attendance for one and company name on promotional materials and signage at the event

Contact Kristin Slocum to sponsor the event.

Registration opening soon!

Mobility 21’s Lucy Dunn Elected
Chair of California Transportation Commission

This month Lucy Dunn, President and CEO of the Orange County Business Council and Vice Chair of Mobility 21, was elected to Chair of the California Transportation Commission. Bob Alvarado, Executive Officer, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, was elected as Vice-Chair.

“California’s economic prosperity relies on a well-maintained and well-funded transportation system,” Dunn said. “As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the ability to efficiently and effectively move people and goods is more important than ever before, and remains a top priority for the business community. I am honored to serve as Chair and look forward to continuing the good work already being done to implement innovative, sustainable solutions that will move California’s economy through the 21st century and provide a high quality of life for all who live here.”

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Mark Kempton
Project Director, Skanska

As Project Director for Skanska Infrastructure Development North America, Mark Kempton is responsible for the development of Public-Private Partnerships in the Western United States and Canada for Skanska, a Fortune Global 500 Company and Engineering News Record’s #1 Green Contractor. He works with federal, state and local elected officials as well as public agency leaders to shape policy and promote private investment in large-scale public projects. Mr. Kempton identifies and assesses public projects for private partnership potential and leads those projects through to commercial and financial close.

Prior to joining Skanska ID Americas, Mr. Kempton was Director of the Strategic Performance Group of Skanska USA Civil Inc., supporting Skanska Civil’s executive team in the development and management of business strategy. He also developed and managed Skanska USA Civil’s Performance Management System that continues to tightly synchronize corporate strategy with daily operations, allowing senior management to monitor and control every aspect of the business, including proactive business transformation to capitalize on changes in the business environment. This capability has been key to Skanska USA Civil’s successful growth in North America.

Prior to joining Skanska, Mr. Kempton built a strong reputation over the preceding 15 years coordinating corporate responses to public policy, and leading several strategic initiatives related to federal, state and local government requirements at both Fortune 500 and Fortune 500 Global companies.

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Eric Shen
Director of Transportation Planning, Port of Long Beach

Eric C. Shen, P.E., PTP, is the Director of Transportation Planning for the Port of Long Beach, California. He was appointed to the post in October 2007 by the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.

Mr. Shen oversees the development of transportation strategies and directs a port-wide transportation management program. He was instrumental in securing significant funding for the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project and the Green Port Gateway Rail Improvements Project.

Before joining the Port, Mr. Shen was the Transportation Planning and Development Manager and a principal engineer for the City of Pasadena (CA).  He worked on several mission-critical Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) integration projects in the U.S. and abroad as a consultant.

Mr. Shen puts his collaborative and strategic leadership skills to work. He represents the Port at federal, state and regional levels on transportation policy development and innovative project delivery. He was recently appointed as the Marine Group Chair effective in April 2015 after having served two terms, six years as Chair of the Ports and Channels Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), a division of the National Science Academies. He serves on several TRB National Cooperative Freight Research Projects (NCFRP) and National Cooperative Highway Research Projects (NCHRP) project panels. Eric also served as an expert advisor on the ITE Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies (2nd Edition) and the Trip Generation Handbook (3rd Edition). He is currently serving the boards of directors for the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) and the WTS Los Angeles Chapter; and most recently elected to serve as a member of the California Education Foundation Board of Directors.

Mr. Shen received a BS degree with honors and a MS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Irvine. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Alabama and California (Civil) and a Professional Transportation Planner (PTP), certified by the Institute of Transportation Engineers in Washington, D.C. He is an adjunct faculty in the Viterbi School of Engineering and the Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California. He is an Assistant Scoutmaster and a Venturing Crew Advisor of the Boy Scouts of America.

California Transportation Infrastructure
Priorities Workgroup Releases White Papers

This month the California State Transportation Agency released three white papers, the culmination of a year’s worth of work by the California Transportation Infrastructure Priorities (CTIP) Workgroup. In February of 2014, the Workgroup released its interim recommendations, which were posted on the California State Transportation Agency’s website. Moving forward from that point, the Workgroup focused on three main areas: consideration of a road user charge as an alternative to the gasoline tax; tolling and pricing to manage congestion and fund infrastructure; and ways to improve the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

The recommendations provided by the CTIP Workgroup on the road user charge and tolling and pricing received nearly 90 percent approval from voting CTIP participants. The recommendations regarding the STIP received a lesser majority of 61 percent from voting CTIP participants.

You can find the white papers here:

Metro recently received federal approval to begin section two of the Purple Line Extension. Click here to view larger map.

Metro Receives Federal Approval to Begin Pre-Construction on Section Two of the Purple Line Subway

Los Angeles Metro has received Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval to begin preliminary engineering and design for the second phase of the Metro Purple Line Extension. Construction is already underway on the first phase of the Purple Line, which will stretch the subway from its current terminus at Western Avenue to La Cienega Boulevard. Section two will carry the subway further west, with stations in downtown Beverly Hills and Century City.

The new approval is viewed as a sign of federal trust and support of the Purple Line project. And it allows Metro to continue the long process required to seek federal matching funds for section two in the form of a $1.2 billion grant from the federal New Starts program and a $307 million low-interest federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan.

Section 1 received federal matching funds last fall and is due to be completed in 2023. The engineering approval came earlier than anticipated and, if federal funding is secured, could allow the second section of the subway to be completed in 2025 – one year earlier than the original target date.

The Purple Line Extension is also funded by Measure R, the half-cent sales tax approved by nearly 68 percent of Los Angeles County voters in 2008. The proposed TIFIA loan would be secured and repaid by Measure R sales tax revenues.

LA Chamber World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast

Tuesday, May 5
Beverly Hilton Hotel
More Info | Register

The World Trade Week (WTW) program has 89 years of history promoting international trade as essential to a healthy local and national economy. During its celebration throughout the month of May, more than 30 events are jumpstarted by the annual WTW Kickoff Breakfast. The importance of globalization will be addressed at the Kickoff Breakfast where the keynote will give insightful remarks on the impact of global trade to over 600 guests.

City of La Habra Launches
Enhanced Express Bus Service

The City of La Habra recently unveiled changes to its Express Bus service to begin on Monday, Feb. 9, including new stops and opposite directional buses to make traveling within the city, to St. Jude’s Medical Center, Fullerton College and the Fullerton Transportation Center even easier. The service also includes complimentary WiFi and USB charge ports. The City of La Habra is offering free rides to commuters on the La Habra Express between Monday, Feb. 9 and Friday, Feb. 13. The La Habra Express fare is only $1 (regular OCTA fare is $2 and is subsidized by the City of La Habra). Service runs Monday-Friday from 5:50 a.m. – 6:20 p.m. For updates, information and the PSA video introducing the La Habra Express bus service, please visit www.GoPlacesSeeFaces.com.

Transportation Events in the Community

Wednesday, Feb. 4
CTF: Transportation Forum
More info | Register

Thursday, Feb. 5
WTS-SD: Members Only New Years Mixer
More info | Register

Tuesday, Feb. 10
WTS-LA: Luncheon Featuring Metro’s Martha Welborne
More info | Register

Thursday, Feb. 19
OCBC: Annual Dinner
More info | Register

Feb. 23-24
OCBC: One Voice, Two Capitals Advocacy Trip to Sacramento
More info | Register

Thursday, Feb. 26
IEEP: Turning Red Tape Into Red Carpet Awards
More info | Register

Feb. 24-25
California Maritime Leadership Symposium
More info | Register

Tuesday, April 7
Forecast LA
More info | Register

May 4-7
ACT Expo 2015
More info | Register

Tuesday, May 5
LA Chamber: World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast
More info | Register

Thursday, June 25
FuturePorts: Strong Ports=Strong California Conference

Friday, Aug. 28
Mobility 21: 2015 Summit at Disneyland Hotel