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Join these firms in sponsoring Mobility 21’s 2014 Southern California Transportation Summit. Click here to view a larger graphic.

Summit Sponsorship Deal of the Week:
Enter to Win an iPad Air

Sponsorships are selling quickly for the 13th Annual Southern California Transportation Summit on Friday, Sept. 5 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Sign up to sponsor the Summit this week (between Monday, March 31 and Friday, April 4), and you will be entered to win an iPad Air!

And check out these additional promotions for sponsors who sign up this week:

Gold Sponsors: Receive a complimentary web banner on Mobility 21’s homepage for one month and an ad in one of Mobility 21’s monthly e-newsletters.

Platinum: All of the above, PLUS one extra ticket to the exclusive Roaring 20s-themed VIP reception the evening before the Summit with Mobility 21 Board and Advisory Board members, conference speakers and elected officials.

Available sponsorships include:

  • Platinum Sponsorships – $10,000
    • Closing Session (2 available)
    • VIP Reception (4 available)
    • Wi-Fi (1 available)
  • Gold Sponsorships – $5,000
    • NEW! Notebook Promo Item (1 available)
    • Breakout Session (2 available)
  • Silver Sponsorships – $4,000
    • Breakfast Buffet (1 available)
    • Afternoon Networking Break (1 available)
  • Copper Sponsorships – $2,500
  • Bronze Sponsorships- $1,o00
    (open to small businesses and nonprofits only)

Click here to view more information about the sponsorship packages or contact Mobility 21 Communications Manager Kristin Slocum to sign up.


Mobility 21 Executive Director
Marnie O’Brien Primmer Says Farewell

After six years at the helm of Mobility 21, Marnie O’Brien Primmer is moving on from her role as Executive Director. During her tenure, Primmer played an integral role in helping shape Mobility 21’s strategic plan and established the Coalition as the preeminent voice of transportation in Southern California with the media, legislators and the public.

Highlights of Mobility 21’s advocacy wins under Primmer’s leadership over the past six years include passage of Los Angeles County’s Measure R, the inclusion of $50 million in funding for positive train control technology in the 2010 federal appropriations bill, an additional $1 billion sub-allocated to regions from the the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), passage of MAP-21 in 2012 which included key policy elements of Mobility 21’s legislative platform, the passage of California Senate Bill 1225 which establishes a JPA for the LOSSAN corridor, and California Assembly Bill 401 which enables transportation agencies to use the design-build project delivery methodology.

Due to Mobility 21’s success, Primmer was tapped to serve as the Chair of the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA) and has been a speaker at conferences nationally on coalition-building and effective advocacy strategies. As a result of her leadership , Primmer was recognized by WTS Orange County as Woman of the Year in 2012, selected as one of OC Metro’s “Women to Watch” in 2013, and chosen as one of ENR California’s “Top 20 under 40” in 2013.

Her last day with Mobility 21 will be April 4. She joins Seattle-based Transpo Group as their Director of Strategic Business Development and can be reached at marnie.primmer@transpogroup.com.

Join us as we thank Marnie for her remarkable leadership of Mobility 21!


Last year the Dodger Stadium Express bus service transported over 186,000 fans, reducing congestion on Los Angeles County’s heavily traveled highways.

Metro’s Dodger Stadium Express Bus Service
Back for 2014 Season

For the fifth year in a row, Metro will offer Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium throughout the 2014 season. The service is continuing under a two-year grant approved last year by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).

The 2014 season kicks off on opening day against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, April 4.

“We are ecstatic to be once again offering this service to the people of Los Angeles County and beyond,” said Metro Board Chair and Lakewood City Council Member Diane DuBois. “In past years, fans from all over have taken advantage of this great service by leaving their cars and SUVs at home and choosing Metro as their Dodger game day transit provider.”

A two-year grant of over $1.1 million was awarded to Metro by the MSRC last year to fund the operation of the Dodger Stadium Express service for both the 2013 and 2014 Dodgers baseball seasons. The funding is made in support of clean fuel transit service to link Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The MSRC awards funding within the South Coast Air Basin from a portion of the vehicle registration fee set aside for mobile source projects that result in emission reductions.

Last year the Dodger Stadium Express bus service transported over 186,000 fans. During the 2012 season the Dodger Stadium Express service transported nearly 136,000 Dodger fans. A 2013 Metro riders’ survey showed that more than 75 percent of customers used public transportation from their place of origin to Union Station to connect with the Dodger Stadium Express, taking advantage of the regional rail and bus network to get from their home or work to the games. An estimated 96 percent of transit riders to the games used Metro Rail or Metro buses, with the remaining transit riders taking Metrolink to Union Station. The survey also revealed that 46 percent of the Dodger Stadium Express passengers are repeat customers.

Funding under the MSRC grant will be used to offset the cost of fares on the Dodger Stadium Express bus service for passengers possessing a Dodger ticket. Service will be provided starting 90 minutes prior to the beginning of the games and will end 45 minutes after the end of the game.


Urban Bikeway Planning Underway
In San Diego County

Excerpt from SANDAG’s ReGION eNewsletter

Two major planning efforts are underway to design and build bikeways in several San Diego urban neighborhoods, with the goals of improving safety for all street users, creating inviting streetscapes and supporting local business communities. The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is working closely with residents, businesses and property owners on both the Uptown Regional Bike Corridors Project and the North Park – Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project. Both of these projects are part of a $200 million initiative by SANDAG to dramatically expand the regional bike network over the next decade.


Orange County officials celebrate the opening of the first grade-separation project in the O.C. Bridges Program.

Placentia Avenue Undercrossing
Opens to Traffic in Orange County

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) officials celebrated a major milestone in the O.C. Bridges Program this month when they became the first to drive Placentia Avenue under the BNSF rail line.

The Placentia Avenue undercrossing is the first grade-separation project to open in OCTA’s $630 million O.C. Bridges Program, which is building seven such undercrossings or overcrossings to separate car traffic from rail traffic.

“This project translates into a better quality of life for residents and businesses in the area by speeding up commute times and eliminating the annoyance of having to wait at rail crossings for trains to pass by,” said OCTA Chairman Shawn Nelson, also the county’s Fourth District Supervisor. “It’s a great milestone to open this first grade-separation project to the public.”

Work on the Placentia Avenue project, in the cities of Placentia and Fullerton, began in January 2012. Since then, drivers have used a temporary road.

Two lanes in each direction along Placentia Avenue opened to the public. The contractor, Flatiron West, Inc. will continue working on finishing details to the project that are expected to be complete by June. Pedestrian and bicycle detours will remain in place.

Nearly 70 trains each day travel along the BNSF rail line through Anaheim, Fullerton and Placentia and that number is expected to increase more than 45 percent by 2030.

The grade-separation projects enhance safety by separating car traffic from train traffic and also by reducing the risk of fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles getting stuck at a rail crossing. Cars no longer idling at rail crossings will save gas and reduce air pollution.

Work on the Placentia Avenue undercrossing, when complete, is anticipated to cost about $69 million, a savings over the original $78 million estimate.

Work is continuing on the six other grade separations in the O.C. Bridges Program, with the next milestone scheduled to be the opening of the Kraemer Avenue undercrossing later this year.


Metrolink Launches Positive Train Control Technology

Last month, Metrolink became the first commuter rail operator in the nation to implement the collision avoidance technology, Positive Train Control (PTC) in Revenue Service Demonstration.

PTC is one of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) top ten most wanted transportation safety improvements. It involves a GPS-based technology capable of preventing train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, unauthorized incursion into work zones and train movement through switches left in the wrong position. PTC monitors and, if necessary, controls train movement in the event of human error. PTC may also bring trains to a safe stop in the event of a natural disaster.

The estimated cost for developing, installing and deploying PTC on the Metrolink system including the expansion of the communication network to support the PTC System is $216.3 million. Metrolink secured full funding from local, state and federal sources with the funding split at 50%, 42%, 9% respectively. Nearly 30 grants were secured.

Metrolink’s PTC Revenue Service Demonstration under the authority of BNSF track will be implemented on select trains on the Metrolink 91 Line (between Riverside-Downtown and just east of LA Union Station), Orange County Line (between Fullerton and just east of LA Union Station) and Inland Empire-Orange County Line (between San Bernardino and just east of Anaheim Canyon). Metrolink is expected to have PTC in Revenue Service Demonstration on its entire territory early 2015, in advance of  the Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) mandate of December 31, 2015.


Inland Empire Economic Partnership:
2014 State of the Region

Thursday, April 17
More info | Register

Dr. John Husing, Chief Economist of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP), will be presenting on the topic “Poverty or Prosperity…What is the Truth?” at IEEP’s annual State of the Region Conference. Along with his economic forecast, Dr. Husing will be discussing the pressing importance of income equality and how that relates to quality of life. In Dr. Husing’s White Paper, “Policy Choices & The Inland Empire’s Public Health,” he explains what income equality means for the region.


Southern California Association of Governments:
Regional Conference & General Assembly

May 1-2
Indian Wells Resort & Spa
More Info | Register
Early bird registration closes April 1!

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has an exciting conference line-up that includes sessions exploring how rapidly emerging technologies may revolutionize the way we presently think about moving people and goods, and ways that the region can address workforce, employment and education to strengthen Southern California’s economic competitiveness.


2014 Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo

May 5-8
Long Beach Convention Center | Long Beach, CA
More info | Register
Save $50 on registration using promo code MOBILITY50

Attend the ACT Expo May 5-8 as more than 3,500 transportation leaders convene to discuss the rapidly evolving alternative fuel industry. As North America’s largest clean fleet event, ACT Expo covers all weight classes and alternative fuels – including electric, hybrid, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas and renewables. New for 2014 is a roster of co-located clean vehicle technology events, in addition to three days of educational sessions, off-site technical tours to local AFV projects, a ride & drive and the biggest ACT Expo Hall yet! Mobility21 members can save $50 on registration using code MOBILITY50.


Transportation Events in the Community

April 2-3
2014 California Passenger Rail Summit
More info | Register

Wednesday, April 9
WTS-LA: Members Only Reception for Metro’s New Executives
More info | Register

Wednesday, April 16
WTS-OC: Luncheon Featuring Transportation Corridor Agencies
More info | Register

Thursday, April 17
IEEP: Annual State of the Region Conference
More info | Register

Thursday, April 17
WTS-SD: Port of San Diego – Port 101
More info | Register

May 1-2
SCAG: Regional Conference & General Assembly
More info | Register

Friday, May 2
LA Area Chamber: 88th Annual World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast
More info | Register

May 5-8
Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo
More info | Register

Thursday, May 15
WTS-LA: Luncheon Featuring Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Directors

May 19-21
OCBC: Advocacy Trip to Washington, D.C.
More info | Register

Thursday, May 22
CTF: Annual Awards Luncheon
More info | Register

Thursday, May 29
ACC-OC: Infrastructure Summit
More info | Register

Thursday, June 12
SANBAG: General Assembly
More info | Sponsor

Monday, June 23
FuturePorts: 2014 Annual Conference
More info | Sponsor

Friday, Sept. 5
Mobility 21 Summit: Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim
Sponsor