Mobility 21 Summit Registration Will Sell Out

Mobility 21 is excited to bring together more than 1,300 transportation leaders and elected officials for the 18th annual Southern California Transportation Summit on Friday, Sept. 27 at the Disneyland Hotel.

Registration
Late Registration (closes Sept. 10): $395
Register now!

Sponsorships
Visibility, access and education!
Every sponsorship includes an exhibitor booth – less than 10 spaces left!
Sponsor today!

Plan Your Day
Take transit to the Summit! Metrolink and Anaheim Resort Transportation are offering complimentary roundtrip service to the Summit from ARTIC.
View the detailed conference agenda and choose the breakout sessions you want to attend.
Plan your networking time by checking out the Summit sponsors. 

Hotel Room Block Sold Out!
The Disneyland Hotel, including Mobility 21’s room block, is SOLD OUT. Click here to view a list of nearby hotels.


Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Kip Field
Southern California Area Manager
HDR

Kip Field, HDR’s Southern California Area Manager, is a civil engineer with over 32 years of experience in the planning, development and implementation of infrastructure projects in California. He has experience in both the private and public sectors with a focus on the planning, land development, and design of transportation projects. He oversees HDR’s growing practices in power, water, and transportation.

Kip and the HDR transportation team are strongly committed to connecting and improving lives through design of the built environment and transportation projects throughout Southern California. Some of HDR’s current projects include LA Metro’s Link Union Station and
I-605/SR-60 Interchange, OCTA’s OC Streetcar, Port of Long Beach’s
Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project, City of Los Angeles’ Sidewalk Repair Program, SBCTA’s Redlands Passenger Rail and SANDAG’s Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project.

Kip is also dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and the rapidly advancing technologies that are changing the way people and goods move. He oversees the Southern California group to help clients integrate long-term efficiencies, resiliency and sustainability into their projects and programs. HDR is the project management consultant for the OC Streetcar project, which recently earned an Envision Silver rating for sustainable infrastructure from The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. This is the 15th Envision verified project in the state, and the first modern streetcar project in California to receive Envision recognition.

Kip was born and raised in Nebraska and has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska. He is an avid college football fan and is looking forward to a much better season for the Cornhuskers this year.


Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Fran Inman
Sr. Vice President
Majestic Realty Co.

Fran Inman directs government relations and community affairs activities for Majestic Realty Co., one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate development companies. With a real estate portfolio totaling approximately 84 million square feet of commercial properties, Majestic Realty has offices in Los Angeles; Atlanta; Bethlehem, Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Las Vegas and Laredo.

Inman has served on the California Transportation Commission since 2010 and currently serves as Chair. In 2013, Inman was also appointed as a founding member of the National Freight Advisory Committee and co-chaired the sub-committee on project delivery and operations.

Inman served as the chair of the board of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and serves as vice chair for the California Business Properties Association (CBPA). She is the former chair of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership (SGVEP) and is also a founding board member of FuturePorts and a board member of Inland Action and the California Business Roundtable. She is also a long-time member of the Coalition of America’s Gateway and Trade Corridors.

Also recognized as a leader in the philanthropic community, Inman is the founding president of the Majestic Realty Foundation. Established in 2002, the Majestic Realty Foundation provides grants and other support to various charitable community partners that work the areas of youth, family, education, health, and violence prevention in the communities where Majestic Realty Co. does business.

Inman further demonstrates her commitment to active community engagement through her service as board member and former board chair of THINK Together, nationally-recognized non-profit providing extended learning programs that serve more than 150,000 at-risk and low-income students daily across California. She serves on the board of QueensCare, a $400+million foundation dedicated to providing healthcare for the underserved. Inman is also a trustee for Three Square, the regional food bank in Las Vegas, Nevada, and serves on the board of trustees for the University of Redlands as well as a member of UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Advisory Board, METRANS and the UC-ITS Advisory Board.

A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, Inman holds both a BA and a MBA in finance. In 2010, Inman was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from Woodbury University.


Across the country, HNTB is working to improve communities by connecting people and expanding opportunity, leaving a permanent impact where we live and work.

Mobility 21 Summit Titanium Sponsor Spotlight:
HNTB

Investing in transportation will move America forward.

Many leaders from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., agree on at least one major issue facing the nation: our transportation system, long the envy of the world, is in serious need of investment to ensure public safety and quality of life, and to keep U.S. businesses competitive around the world.

Legislators understand that we can’t let roads, bridges, airports, ports and rail systems keep deteriorating — because the risks and costs associated with preserving and expanding our system will only keep rising. Cities and states feel the weight of stressed infrastructure most acutely.

Fortunately, we’ve seen voters in California and nationwide approve initiatives to direct hundreds of billions in funding to transportation assets. The challenge will be ensuring the money is spent on the most valuable priorities and in the most effective ways.

Let’s consider these points as we work together to meet this challenge in the coming years:

  • Integrate transportation solutions
  • Reform transportation policies and dismantle silos
  • Innovate relentlessly, but prudently
  • Build resiliency into our mindset

Visit HNTB.com for more ideas and strategies that could help us improve our transportation system significantly, while also ensuring that each dollar is spent effectively.


San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, San Gabriel Trench

A Route on Nordhoff and Roscoe is Recommended for the
North San Fernando Valley Bus Rapid Transit Project

Metro is proposing a route that includes Nordhoff Street and Roscoe Boulevard for the North San Fernando Valley bus rapid transit (BRT) project — see the map above. The 18- to 20-mile project has $180 million in Measure M funding and is being designed to speed up bus service, offer more transit-accessible destinations and make transit a more viable option for everyone.

A new round of community meetings has been scheduled in August so the public can provide more feedback on the project. Meeting locations, dates and times are at the bottom of this post. Check out the new video: https://youtu.be/um9UrEAHwqk

For those new to transit jargon, ‘bus rapid transit’ is a bus service that provides faster, more frequent service via several potential strategies, including dedicated bus lanes, signal priority, more expansive and comfortable stations, new vehicles, convenient fare collection and/or all-door boarding. Metro’s Orange Line and Silver Line are examples of BRT.

More study is needed to determine which of the above strategies will be used for this project. But the idea in a nutshell is to create a premium bus line that connects to key job and activity centers as well as existing and future bus and rail lines.

The Metro Board of Directors in September will consider advancing the staff recommendation for the project to the next step in the planning process — environmental review.The meeting, as usual, will be live-streamed on our website and will be available to watch later.

We’ve received many questions and comments about the project and wanted to provide some more history and background on the planning process thus far:

  • Three project optionswere presented to the community beginning in September 2018. After public input, those three options were expanded to seven potential routes.
  • Earlier this summer, Metro published the project’s Alternatives AnalysisReport, which looked at those routes. Staff recommended the route shown above because it showed the highest potential ridership (27,000 to 29,000 boardings per weekday) and was deemed as the route with the most rider benefits.
  • Proposed stations are identified with a dot on the project map. Stations are about a mile apart although a little closer in areas with more activity centers and farther apart in areas with less anticipated demand. As planning work continues, station locations will be updated.
  • The solid lines on the map are where staff recommends focusing study on one specific street for the planned BRT line. The two longest solid lines are on 6.2 miles on Nordhoffbetween DeSoto and Haskell (6.2 miles), which has more destinations, and three miles on Roscoe between Van Nuys and Laurel Canyon. Roscoe has stronger land uses in Panorama City — for example the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center.
  • The project also has some design variations in places where we need to do more work to figure out how to deal with a variety of issues. These include getting the route under the 405 freeway and whether the route would work better on Laurel Canyon or Lankershim boulevards and if part of the route can share a portion of the Metro Orange Line busway.
  • After hearing more public comment in June, the Metro Board decided to postpone choosing any routes for more study as part of the project’s environmental review until those who represent the area could be in attendance. Given the extra time provided, Metro is holding more public meetings and conducting additional outreach to reach those who cannot attend traditional meetings.
  • The bottom line is we want to know what you think of the routes, potential station locations, things you think we should be considering or anything else! Is the staff recommended route the one that will be ultimately built? Bottom line: we don’t know. The environmental study will help determine that with the Board ultimately selecting a route.
  • We’ve received questions and comments involving traffic impacts, bus lanes and density. Below are a few things to know.
  • The streets being considered are already wide arterial streets that Metro believes has the space and capacity to accommodate bus rapid transit service.
  • Metro can’t unilaterally install bus lanes. The streets under study are overseen by the city of Los Angeles. That means that Metro has towork with the city, residents, businesses and other stakeholders to make a bus lane happen and to mitigate any significant impacts.
  • Metro is not proposing the project to increase density along the route. Zoning is not controlled by Metro — it’s done by cities. In the case of this project, that’s the city of Los Angeles. The purpose of the project is simply to provide a much better transit option than what currently exists in the northern Valley.

There has been a proposed state bill the last two years that would allow for zoning changes near frequent bus stops. That bill died in the Legislature due to lack of support in 2018 and was shelved earlier this year in a State Senate committee. Metro has not taken a position on this bill.

The upcoming meetings are listed below. The meetings will be a chance to talk to Metro staff and give staff an opportunity to learn about your thoughts on this project and your views on mobility and transit. Meetings will include a Kid’s Corner with family-friendly activities as well as food and beverages.

North Hollywood

  • Thursday, August 8, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

 

Panorama City

  • Saturday, August 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • (Staff will stay through late afternoon through the Plaza’s Back to School event)
    • Plaza Del Valle Community Room
    • 8610 Van Nuys Blvd.
    • Panorama City, CA 91402

 

Northridge

  • Monday, August 12, 6 to 8 p.m.
    • California State University Northridge (CSUN), Orange Grove Bistro
    • 18111 Nordhoff St.
    • Northridge, CA 91325

(Validated parking is available)

All Metro meetings are held in ADA accessible facilities and are accessible by transit. Spanish translation will be provided at each meeting and the Panorama City will be Spanish oriented. ADA accommodations and other translations are available by calling 323.466.3876 or California Relay Service at 711 at least 72 hours in advance.

For additional project information or to provide feedback, visit the North San Fernando Valley BRT Project website at https://www.metro.net/projects/north-sfv-brt/.


Crews are excavating 2.1 million cubic yards of dirt from the hillsides to widen the Route 60 roadway to add truck lanes through Riverside County’s Badlands.

One Westbound Lane to Close for Six Months for Route 60 Truck Lanes Work

Expect significant delays, allow extra time and avoid the area by using Interstate 10 during the upcoming closure of one westbound lane on State Route 60 in Riverside County’s Badlands, starting the night of August 22.

The single lane closure will be in effect 24/7 for approximately six months as part of the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s State Route 60 Truck Lanes Project. The closure will cover the full project area – 4.5 miles from Gilman Springs Road to 1.4 miles west of Jack Rabbit Trail.

Closing the westbound lane will create safer conditions for drivers and construction crews and will save time. Originally planned as a 3.5 year project, the lane closure will save a year of construction time and allow the project to be completed in about 2.5 years.

“This project focuses on safety,” said RCTC Chair and County Supervisor Chuck Washington. “Closing this lane makes sense for us to deliver the project safer and faster. Please check traffic conditions before you leave home, be alert in construction areas, and use I-10 as a detour route,” he said.

During the closure, RCTC will be operating Freeway Service Patrol roving tow trucks to help stranded motorists. Eastbound Route 60 will remain open, but nighttime lane closures will occur.

This six-month westbound single lane closure is separate from the weekend closures that are occurring for the Caltrans “60 Swarm” projects between Riverside and Chino.

RCTC began construction in June to add truck lanes in both directions, widen shoulders, flatten roadway curves and increase the height of the center barrier. The new lanes are expected to open in late 2021.

Register to receive construction updates by visiting rctc.org/60trucklanes, emailing 60trucklanes@rctc.org, following @60TruckLanes on social media, or calling 866-413-6060.

A video, fact sheet and detour map are available for download.


Metrolink Safety Summit 2019

You are invited to attend Metrolink’s Rail Safety Summit on Thursday, September 12 at the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles, featuring Keynote Speaker National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Member Jennifer Homendy, as well as other industry and government leaders.

The Summit will include breakout sessions with invited speakers from Metrolink, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), and freight rail partners. The sessions will cover topics of grade crossing, Right-of-Way (ROW) safety, the latest Positive Train Control (PTC) update, a discussion on mental health and rail safety and quiet zone implementation. In addition, the event will highlight technological developments from industry partners including an opportunity to take a PTC simulator tour.




Each of the four college campuses in Orange County that have implemented the student bus pass program have a wrapped bus that advertises the free rides for students. So far, more than 2.2 million boardings have been recorded through the programs at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges and in August the program expanded to Golden West College and Fullerton College.

Student Bus Pass Program Expands to Golden West, Fullerton Colleges

Transportation and education officials in August marked the expansion of the Orange County Transportation Authority’s student bus pass program to two more college campuses, allowing enrolled students to travel free on any OC Bus.

The program began Aug. 26 at Golden West College in Huntington Beach and at Fullerton College.

OCTA is expanding on the success of the program, which began at Santa Ana College in 2017. The program has helped increase ridership, introduced new riders to public transit and allowed access to higher education for students, some who say they wouldn’t be able to attend college without it.

So far, more than 2.28 million boardings have been recorded and more than 11,500 students have ridden the bus.

“This program is not only helping students discover how affordable and convenient public transportation can be, it is also helping them access education and achieve their dreams,” said OCTA Chairman Tim Shaw, also a La Habra Councilman.

The student program allows full-time and part-time students enrolled at the colleges to download a free pass via the OC Bus app or to use their student identification cards to ride free on the regular OC Bus system, allowing them to get to school, to work, or wherever the bus travels across Orange County.

Funding for the three-year pilot program at Golden West College is a partnership between OCTA and the college. For the first year, the cost of the program is funded through a grant OCTA was awarded from state cap-and-trade funds, available through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program.

For the second and third years, the Associated Students of Golden West College will cover the cost, with no additional student fees.

The program began with a pilot project at Santa Ana College, then was expanded to Santiago Canyon College in Orange last year.

A survey of students at Santa Ana College showed that, overall, 86 percent were satisfied with the college pass. Nearly 70 percent of those who rode the bus to school chose to also ride OC Bus to other destinations, and 96 percent said using the pass helps them achieve their educational goals.

Based on that initial success, OCTA looked at opportunities to expand the student pass program to other Orange County campuses. This school year, which began on Monday, Aug. 26, the program expanded to Golden West College and Fullerton College.

The typical cost to ride the OC Bus system is $2 per ride, $5 for a day pass, or $185 for a full-semester student bus pass, so students who ride the bus through OCTA’s student bus pass program see substantial savings over the course of the semester.

This effort is part of OCTA’s OC Bus 360° initiative, which is enhancing bus service in Orange County by maximizing existing resources and tailoring transit solutions to better meet the needs of the public.


Don’t Miss the SBCTA Business 2 Business Expo

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019
Ontario Convention Center
More Info | Register

The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s (SBCTA) 7th Annual Business 2 Business Expo scheduled for October 29th, at the Ontario Convention Center, will connect prime and subcontractors for future teaming opportunities, enhance awareness of local labor, and educate prospective bidders on contracting opportunities. Past events have resulted in lasting relationships to develop opportunities for big and small contractors alike.


OC Toll Roads Introduce New Sticker Transponder Technology

Orange County is famous for its “firsts” when it comes to Toll Roads. Orange County’s Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) opened the first toll roads in the state a quarter century ago. TCA is the creator of FasTrak and the first to offer electronic transponders so drivers could pay without having to stop at a toll booth. And now, we are first again; this time with the sticker transponder.

If you are a FasTrak accountholder with TCA, you should have already received your sticker transponder(s) in the mail. There are many benefits to the sticker transponder, such as:

  • Sticker transponders are smaller, sleeker and less obtrusive than the hardcase transponder
  • Sticker transponders are not transferable from car to car and you don’t need to transfer them. Accountholders get one sticker transponder for each vehicle listed on their account.
  • No more “beep” –sticker transponders use radio frequency identification (RFID) and there is no battery — which means no beep.Sticker transponders, like the hardcase transponders, are interoperable on every tolled bridge, lane and road in California.
  • Sticker transponders may save you money!

Frequent Toll Road users with a pre-paid FasTrak account will still receive $1 off at every tolling location if they spend $40 or more in tolls during their previous statement period. And, even infrequent FasTrak accountholders benefit from the sticker transponder because they will no longer have to pay the $2 monthly account maintenance fee.

“While many FasTrak accountholders may see a financial benefit using the sticker transponder compared to using the hardcase transponder,” said Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Chairwoman and Irvine Mayor Christina Shea, “the biggest benefit of The Toll Road system continues to be the traffic relief option these roads provide to commuters.”

What about the carpool discounts I can get in LA with the “switchable” hardcase transponder?

Some commuters may use California’s express lanes that offer a discount when there are two or more occupants in the vehicle. If you use those express lanes, you may want to keep your hardcase transponder if it has the switch to indicate the number of passengers in the vehicle.

If you have the hardcase transponder and the sticker transponder, the system will only read the hardcase transponder. You will not be billed twice.

How do I install the new sticker transponder?

It’s pretty simple. Clean the inside of your windshield, then peel the sticker transponder from its backing and stick it on your windshield’s lower left corner, lower right corner or up near your rear-view mirror. Once the sticker transponder has been adhered, don’t adjust it because it could break and become unusable. If that happens, you can get a replacement at thetollroads.comor via the Toll Road app. Follow the instructions on the sticker packaging or go to thetollroads.com/sticker.

How can I pay?

There are three ways to pay. If you’re a frequent user of the Toll Roads, you may consider a prepaid account in order to be eligible for discounted rates. For infrequent users, you can “pay-as-you-go” by having your tolls charged to a credit card at the end of each day you use The Toll Roads. If you prefer to pay monthly, you can sign up for an account that invoices you once a month. There is a $2 monthly administration fee to set up an invoice account. Finally, you can use The Toll Roads without an account. Simply get your license plate number and go to thetollroads.comor The Toll Roads App to pay online using the “Pay Toll Now” payment option.

“The new sticker transponders are smaller, sleeker and don’t require batteries to operate and our customers seem really excited about the sticker,” said Fred Minagar, Chairman of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency Board and Laguna Niguel City Council Member. “We want to make transitioning to the sticker transponder as easy as driving The Toll Roads.”