Mobility 21 to Host 9th Annual
Sacramento Legislative Reception
Please join the Mobility 21 Board of Directors and Advisory Board Members in honoring California’s transportation leaders at a reception in Sacramento.
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2024
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
The Citizen Hotel
926 J Street, Sacramento
Sponsor the Event
$2,000 Host Level
Includes complimentary attendance for 5 and logo on event marketing and signage
$1,000 Support Level
Includes complimentary attendance for 2 and logo on event marketing and signage
$500 Small Business Level
Includes complimentary attendance for 1 and logo on event marketing and signage
Contact Kristin Slocum to sponsor the event.
Registration
$125 Private Sector
$65 Public Sector/Nonprofit
Elected Officials and Elected Staff complimentary
Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
John Engstrom
Operations and Business Development Manager
Bechtel Infrastructure, California
John Engstrom is Bechtel Infrastructure’s Operations and Business Development Manager
for the US Western Region, based in the Los Angeles office. He is responsible for the pursuit,
development and delivery of new projects in Bechtel’s Transportation and Civil sectors.
Since joining the company in 1995, John has worked on transformative mobility projects,
including the Boston Central Artery Tunnel (one of the largest and most complex projects in
one of the oldest cities in the United States) and the critical 250-mile motorway connecting
Braşov and Borş in Romania.
Here in California, John had a leading role in developing Bechtel’s winning bid to provide construction management for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II. The project, which will connect North San Jose and Santa Clara residents with the Bay Area’s iconic rail system, was awarded to Bechtel in 2024 by the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority. He previously served as Program Manager for VTA’s 10-mile BART extension into San Jose. Opening in 2020, this critical project connected residents, workers and visitors to the greater BART network and greater Bay Area. More recently, he served as Program Manager for the Riverside County Transportation Commission, assisting the client with advancing critical projects, such as the SR-60 widening and I-15 Express Lanes, which addressed congestion and safety for the commuters in Riverside County.
As a second-generation Bechtel employee and third-generation civil engineer, John has enjoyed working all over the world, creating new opportunities for communities to connect and prosper through infrastructure investment. John earned two Bachelor’s degrees from Arizona State University; Civil Engineering and English and a Master’s degree in Construction Engineering & Management from Stanford University. He is a licensed civil engineer in California and lives with his family in La Habra.
Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Jim McCluskie
Vice President
Moffatt & Nichol
James (Jim) McCluskie is a distinguished leader in civil engineering with a career spanning roles from design engineer to company executive. As an infrastructure professional, he has led and assembled teams to deliver some of the most complex and noteworthy projects in the United States and Canada. Jim was the Project Executive who led a “triventure” to deliver the very successful $2.2 billion I-405 Improvement Project for the Orange County Transportation Authority. Throughout his career, Jim has actively worked on major infrastructure projects through design-build, public-private partnerships, and design-build-finance-operate procurement methods, bringing value through his strategic management skills in long-range planning, programming, and construction.
For Moffatt & Nichol, Jim has led Southern California operations for our Ports, Water, and Transportation business lines and was the key driver shaping the team that successfully delivered numerous regional roadway, bypass, bridge, and rail projects. Jim recently has taken on a strategic role in growing the firm’s transportation footprint in the western United States while serving as a key partner in our national transportation practice. In these roles, Jim is a significant driver in expanding Moffatt & Nichol’s ability to serve clients in the 21st century marketplace, including through alternative delivery methods that further the all-important movement of goods through our seaports, on our highways and railways, and with the rapidly evolving technologies that support our global supply chains.
Moffatt & Nichol, headquartered in Long Beach, California, provides planning, design, economic, optimization, and strategic advisory services to infrastructure clients globally. Moffatt & Nichol is an ENR Top 100 design firm and is ranked No. 1 by ENR in Marine and Port Facilities. The company has delivered projects on all seven continents worldwide, with staff currently officed and working on five continents.
The 2024 Southern California Economic Update is Now Available Online
The “2024 Southern California Economic Update” is now available online. SCAG publishes this annual economic update with analysis covering the entire region as well as providing specific insight into the economies of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. The “2024 Southern California Economic Update” reviews the past year and highlights economic trends to watch for in the coming year to assist Southern California policymakers in planning for the next 30 years.
Among the report’s biggest takeaways: the Southern California economy has generally kept pace with the economic growth of the rest of the country and state, but in 2024, job growth increased in Southern California while slowing around the rest of the country. Southern California job growth was not spread evenly over the region’s economic sector. Three sectors, Healthcare and Social Assistance, Leisure and Hospitality, and Public Administration, were responsible for most of that growth.
In other positive news for the region’s economy, trade and tourism rebounded from pandemic years and the technology sector largely stabilized after a spate of layoffs by large companies from late 2022 to mid-2023.
Looking ahead to 2025, the report does not foresee an economic downturn. The strengths of the economy in 2024—growth in logistics, development of large-scale transportation, healthcare, energy projects, and increases in tourism—should continue into 2025. The political shift in the federal government could change some of the regional economic equation, especially for international trade, tourism, and immigration. The update also projects that housing construction and sales in the region will rebound as interest rates decline.
The report also highlights the diversity of the economies of the six counties that make up the SCAG region:
Population growth, lower unemployment, significant investment in new geothermal and rare mineral extraction, and continued agricultural production growth have stabilized Imperial County’s economy.
Los Angeles County, the largest county-level economy in the United States, should achieve growth in healthcare, education, professional services, and technology-related industries.
Orange County’s diverse industry base, high-performing business clusters, and highly educated workforce will drive additional growth in the year ahead.
The Inland Empire’s emergence as a logistics hub for the West Coast and the impact of steady population growth will drive economic expansion in Riverside and San Bernardino counties over the next year. In San Bernardino County, logistics accounts for one of every five jobs.
Stagnant consumer sales, low housing sales, and a sluggish employment market are limiting economic growth in Ventura County. A few sectors should achieve the most job growth in the county in the next year: Healthcare Services, State and Local Government, and Professional and Business Services. Technology jobs are also rebounding faster in Ventura County than elsewhere in the SCAG region.
This “2024 Southern California Economic Update” was prepared by SCAG and its Economic Roundtable, a select group of economists from across the region who meet quarterly to discuss trends, data, and current events impacting the region’s economy. The objective of the Economic Roundtable is to provide common, consensus-based understanding of regional economic data, trends, and themes affecting regional planning. The roundtable’s Quarterly Reports can be found on SCAG’s Economic and Demographic page, and all accompanying economic data for the region can be visualized on and exported from the SCAG Economic Trends Tool.
The “Southern California Economic Update” includes a complete report covering the SCAG region, summary briefs for each of the region’s six counties, and short essays from roundtable members covering region-wide economic sustainability and equity. Full reports for the region’s counties are included as appendices.
New Metrolink station will expand travel options for growing communities along the 91/PVL.
RCTC Awarded $40.5 Million in Funding for New Metrolink Station/Mobility Hub
A new access point is in the works for the Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line (91/PVL)! The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) recently awarded $40.5 million in Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grant funds to RCTC for the development and construction of a new Metrolink station in the unincorporated community of Mead Valley. The station is a partnership between RCTC and Metrolink and will be located between the existing Moreno Valley/March Field and Perris-Downtown stations along the 91/PVL and will serve the rapidly growing communities along I-215.
Map location of Mead Valley Metrolink Station/Mobility Hub
Measure A, the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County, will also contribute $3.7 million along with $6.3 million in RCTC-controlled State Transit Assistance funds.
The project will bring more transportation options to the region especially the neighboring communities of Perris, San Jacinto, and Hemet that are expected to see significant growth in housing, industrial, and commercial centers. The new station is also part of RCTC’s Traffic Relief Plan – a comprehensive transportation strategy that identifies investments in transportation projects, services, and infrastructure. The plan is designed to reduce traffic congestion, implement roadway safety measures, and offer greater mobility options for Riverside County residents.
“As more people move to the cities and communities along I-215 corridor, the Commission is planning for and delivering much needed transportation projects that will connect our region with the rest of southern California and help reduce traffic congestion,” said RCTC Chair and City of Beaumont Councilmember Lloyd White. “We welcome the state partnership in our effort and are grateful to CalSTA for awarding this vital funding. The new Mead Valley Metrolink Station and Mobility Hub will benefit not only Mead Valley residents but also the entire Riverside County region.”
The new station will feature bicycle lockers, bus bays, kiss and ride drop off zones, and rideshare parking to facilitate transit integration and promote multimodal travel via active transportation, transit, carpooling, and vanpooling.
The Mead Valley Metrolink Station/Mobility Hub represents RCTC’s ongoing commitment to deliver transportation projects that offer Riverside County residents convenient mobility options. The final design for this $50.5 million project is anticipated to begin in 2025 and is estimated to be completed by 2029.
New site provides simplified navigation and ease of access to information.
Transportation Corridor Agencies Launch Redesigned TheTollRoads.com Website to Enhance User Experience
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), operator of The Toll Roads, launched a redesigned TheTollRoads.com website featuring an elevated user experience and information enhancements for the Agencies’ valued drivers, stakeholders, and community members.
Each month, TheTollRoads.com has over a million views from website visitors who access the site to get information about the roadways, calculate toll rates, view TCA projects and initiatives and learn more about toll payments and FasTrak® accounts with The Toll Roads.
Following an analysis of past website user experiences, analytics, and website design best practices, TCA enhanced the ease of navigation and expanded self-help topics to give customers simple and quick access to information using a desktop, mobile device or tablet.
“The redesigned TheTollRoads.com website provides users with an easy-to-navigate interface to access information whether a customer is looking for toll rates and payment options, accessing our secure account and payment portal, or is seeking general information about TCA, The Toll Roads and the routes we serve,” shared Scott Voigts, Chair of the External Affairs Committee for TCA and Lake Forest City Councilmember. “The new design is sleek and modern and provides current and potential customers with an elevated experience for all their tolling needs.”