Season’s Greetings from Mobility 21!

On behalf of the Mobility 21 Board of Directors, we wish you a happy holiday season.


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

With more than 20 years of experience managing complex projects and programs related to infrastructure development, corporate strategic performance and private procurement, Mark is responsible for the development of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the Western United States and Canada for Skanska, a Fortune Global 500 Company. Working with federal, state and local elected officials and public agency leaders to shape policy and promote private investment in large-scale public projects, Mark identifies and assesses public projects for private partnership potential and leads those projects through to commercial and financial close.


Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Vic Martinez
Vice President, HNTB Corporation

Vic Martinez is Vice President at HNTB Corporation. He has 36 years of project management and design experience on complex, high-profile transportation projects throughout Southern California. From highway corridors involving dozens of complex structures to significant interchange and highway widenings, he collaborates effectively with clients, Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration and other stakeholders and local communities while managing a large, multidisciplinary team. He joined the Mobility 21 Advisory Board in 2013 and participated in this year’s Washington, D.C. advocacy trip.

Since joining HNTB he has been involved in high profile projects including I-405 Sepulveda Pass and is currently serving as the Project Manager delivering the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement project for the city of Los Angeles. The new viaduct will replace the existing iconic viaduct that was constructed in the early 1930s. Dubbed “The Ribbon of Light,” the distinctive structure features 10 pairs of starchy white arches. A striking visual, the contrite arches are canter at 9”, an industry first, and seem to skip across the urban L.A. landscape, forming an iconic stress ribbon that runs the length of the viaduct. He is also serving as principal in charge on OCTA’s OC Street Car project, Transportation Corridor Agency’s Design/Program Management Contract and Doran Street Grade Separation project for Metro.

Prior to joining HNTB he worked on significant highway projects such as the I-215 Freeway Widening and Realignment project for SANBAG and State Route 60 HOV lane widening project for RCTC.

In addition to Mobility 21 Vic has been active with the Orange County chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, and American Council of Engineering Companies serving as President of the Orange County Chapter.

Vic is a registered professional civil engineer in California and received a Bachelor of Science degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.


Children from White Point Elementary in San Pedro surrounding (from left) Metro CEO Phil Washington, L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino, Metro Board Chair and L.A. County Supervisory Mark Ridley-Thomas (cutting ribbon), L.A. Mayor and Metro Board Member Eric Garcetti.

Silver Line Express Launched Between Downtown L.A., San Pedro and Historic Battleship USS Iowa

In the shadow of the regal WWII battleship USS Iowa, Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Member Eric Garcetti, L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino and Metro CEO Phil Washington celebrated the launch of the Metro Silver Line Express this month – the newest way for commuters from San Pedro to reach downtown Los Angeles and for tourists to access one of L.A. County’s most important and historic war museums: the USS Iowa.

As a special welcome to Metro patrons, the USS Iowa is offering free admission to the Battleship Iowa Museum until Jan. 31, 2016. (Beginning Feb. 1, the discount will be $2 off regular price of admission at the ticket booth.) Show your valid TAP card, Metro employee ID, or LA County employee ID to the cashier at the ticket booth and receive the discount.

“Today, we unveil a new and improved Silver Line,” said Metro Board Chair and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “With increased frequency and service now extending all the way into San Pedro, the Silver Line provides a premiere path for Angelenos to access all of the unique destinations in the South Bay and beyond that is easy, convenient and affordable.”

The new service is actually two lines in one: a week-day, rush-hour, express-stop Silver Line Express — called 950X – that will save commuters approximately 15 to 20 minutes per trip, as it travels along the I-110 Harbor Freeway ExpressLanes between San Pedro and downtown Los Angeles. The other line is the Silver Line 910, which will run the same route daily, with a few more stops than the 950X. It also will run during off-peak hours and evenings, as well as on weekends. Together these great new lines will provide much improved service for San Pedro and the South Bay, as they replace the outgoing Line 450 service.

Among the benefits, service will be more frequent. The Silver Line Express 950X will run every 20 minutes during weekday rush hours. (The 450 was every 30 to 60 minutes.) Off-peak and evenings, the Silver Line 910 will provide service every 30 minutes. (The 450 was every 60 minutes). On weekends and holidays the Silver Line 950 will provide service every 40 minutes. (The 450 line was every 60 minutes.) Neither the 950X nor the 910 requires a transfer to another bus at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center. (The 450 line did.) And both lines carry passengers from San Pedro to business centers in downtown Los Angeles and beyond to El Monte for a single $2.50 fare.

“Expanding the Silver Line saves time for commuters, connects people to communities and links workers to jobs,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Member Eric Garcetti. “Frequent service between San Pedro and the heart of Downtown means fewer people in cars — getting them to their work, family and fun more quickly, while reducing carbon emissions and easing congestion.”

What are some of the other benefits for the residents of San Pedro?

  • A one-seat ride to downtown L.A.
  • A one-seat ride to Cal State – L.A. County-USC Medical Center
  • Elimination of a transfer at Harbor Gateway Transit Center
  • A shorter wait time for buses
  • More frequent express service to downtown L.A.
  • An extension of the Express service route through downtown L.A. to provide access to more job locations, including Civic Center, Bunker Hill, county and federal courthouses, county offices and Union Station
  • Additional afternoon weekday trips from downtown L.A. to San Pedro have been added to relieve crowding
  • The Silver Line Express 950X will begin service earlier in the afternoon and run later than Line 450

“The Silver Line Express is a great example of how Metro is exploring new ways to make service better for our customers,” said Metro CEO Phil Washington. “We had two popular lines – the Silver Line and the 450 – and we combined them to improve service, convenience and reach for our patrons. The new line is also taking advantage of the speed offered by another of our projects: the Harbor Freeway ExpressLanes. We know the Silver Line Express is going to be a great benefit to residents of the San Pedro area.”


Riverside County Transportation Commission Executive Director Anne Mayer introduces Federal Transit Administration Acting Administrator Therese McMillan (at right), during the 91/Perris Valley Line Dedication Ceremony on December 11 in Perris.

91/Perris Valley Line Service: Ready to Roll!

The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), Metrolink, project partners and community members celebrated the upcoming start of commuter rail service on the new 91/Perris Valley Line during a Dedication Ceremony on December 11 at the new Downtown Perris Station in Perris.

More than 350 rail enthusiasts commemorated the first new Metrolink extension to open since the Antelope Valley Line in 1994. Members of the project’s design and construction teams, the regional transportation industry, city and county officials, the Orange Empire Railway Museum, the California Military Institute, the Moreno Valley Master Chorale, local residents and even a mime gathered to mark the occasion with lunch, speakers and a brief train ride on the new tracks.

The 24-mile extension of Metrolink service built by RCTC is expected to reduce traffic congestion on Interstate 215 and improve transit options for southwestern Riverside County residents, who have some of the longest commutes in Southern California. Service was originally planned to start in late 2015, but a decision was made to install Positive Train Control technology in the locomotives, which will push back the opening date until early 2016.

FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan participated in the ceremony with State Assemblymember Jose Medina, Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, Perris Mayor Daryl Busch, San Jacinto Mayor Andrew Kotyuk and Metrolink Chief Executive Officer Art Leahy. RCTC Executive Director Anne Mayer led the ceremony.

“The 91/Perris Valley Line will provide an exciting new transportation alternative for our community and for Riverside County,” Mayor Busch said.

“The Federal Transit Administration is proud to help bring expanded Metrolink service to Perris, making it easier and more convenient for commuters to access employment in Los Angeles and activity centers in western Riverside County,” McMillan said. “This extension will make a big difference in the quality of life for residents who want an alternative to sitting in traffic, and it also lays a strong foundation for economic development along the corridor.”


A Roadmap for the Next 25 Years

On December 4, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) released its 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 RTP/SCS) for public review and comment. Updated every four years, the RTP/SCS is a long-range visioning plan that balances future mobility and housing needs with economic, environmental and public health goals. Included in the plan are over 2,000 transportation projects within the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura, ranging from freeway improvements, railroad grade separations, bicycle lanes, new transit hubs and replacement bridges. These future investments were included in county plans developed by the six County Transportation Commissions and seek to reduce traffic bottlenecks, improve the efficiency of the region’s network and expand mobility choices for everyone. The draft plan also includes a combination of transportation and land use strategies that will help the region achieve state greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and federal Clean Air Act requirements, preserve open space areas, improve public health and roadway safety, support our vital goods movement industry and utilize resources more efficiently.

The Draft 2016 RTP/SCS represents years of input and discussions with local cities, counties and the general public. During the 60-day public review and comment period, SCAG will provide additional engagement opportunities across the region to gather feedback, including a series of public hearings and elected official briefings in January. Interested persons can provide comments at the public hearings or submit them using an online form until Feb. 1, 2016, 5:00 p.m. To download a copy of the Draft 2016 RTP/SCS and its appendices or learn more about the public hearings, please visit: http://scagrtpscs.net/.


TCA celebrates 241 Wildlife Protection Fence Project as Innovative Transportation Solutions Award.

Transportation Corridor Agencies Project and Staff Honored at 27th Annual WTS-OC Awards Gala

WTS-OC named the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) Design Corridor manager Juliet Su Member of the Year and honored the State Route (SR) 241 Wildlife Protection Fence Project with the Innovative Transportation Solutions award at the 27th annual Awards Gala on December 3.

WTS is an international organization dedicated to advancing women in transportation through networking, seminars, access to top transportation professionals and mentoring.

Juliet Su of Aliso Viejo was named Member of the Year for her leadership in developing WTS’ Mentorship Program and her continued involvement with the annual Transportation Academy, a two-week immersion into different facets of the transportation industry for undergraduate and graduate university students. Juliet oversees the design of the capital improvements projects for TCA and she is a registered professional engineer with more than 20 years of design and management experience.

The SR-241 Wildlife Protection Fence project was honored with the Innovative Transportation Solutions Award. The $10 million project includes a 6.5-mile state-of-the-art fence expected to reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions by 90 to 95 percent, along the northern portion of the 241 Toll Road, from the 261 Toll Road north to the 91 Freeway.

The Wildlife Protection Fence is 10-to-12 feet high with an 18-inch “outrigger” to prevent animals from climbing over the fence; is buried 24 inches to prevent animals from digging under the fence; includes jump-out-ramps at one-half mile intervals to provide animals with access back into open space should they inadvertently end up on the road; and is installed along the road’s shoulder to minimize natural habitat loss.

Since installing the fence in June 2014, there have been no reported vehicle-wildlife collisions within the project area.

“This wildlife fence is significant for two reasons: we are protecting the mountain lions and deer that were here long before we began building our infrastructure in the county, and we are protecting motorists,” Todd Spitzer, Third District Orange County Supervisor said when accepting the award on behalf of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. “It’s the right balance between environment and mobility. Since the fence was added we have not had an animal versus car accident.”


Transportation Events in the Community

Wednesday, Jan. 20
WTS-IE: 11th Annual Scholarship and Awards
More info | Register

Thursday, Jan. 21
ACEC Riverside-San Bernardino: Luncheon Featuring SANBAG’s Garry Cohoe
More info | Register

Tuesday, Jan. 26
WTS-OC: Reception Honoring OCTA Vice Chair Lori Donchak
More info | Register

Thursday, Jan. 28
IEEP: Annual Dinner 2016
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Thursday, Feb. 4
CMAA: Owners’ Night
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Thursday, Feb. 25
IEEP: 3rd Annual Turning Red Tape Into Red Carpet Awards Reception
More info | Register

Thursday, March 24
IEEP: State of the Region
More info | Register

Thursday, April 21
CMAA SoCal: Annual Awards Gala
More info

Thursday, April 28
IEEP and Drucker School: Logistics Summit
More info

Friday, May 20
ACEC Riverside-San Bernardino: Golf Tournament
More info

Friday, Oct. 21
2016 Mobility 21 Summit, Disneyland Hotel