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2024 Mobility 21 Summit Sponsorships Now Open!

Sponsorships for the 23rd annual Southern California Transportation Summit are now open! Join us for our Summit on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Disneyland Hotel.

2024 Summit sponsors will experience:

  • Access to public and private sector transportation decision-makers
  • Pre-event publicity to transportation sector professionals
  • Networking with 1,300+ business partners, clients, elected leaders and speakers
  • Value for your investment with highly competitive sponsorship rates

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:

Erin Brooks
Director of Customer Energy Solutions
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)

Erin Brooks is the Director of Customer Energy Solutions for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). In this role, she manages the relationships with large Commercial and Industrial (C&I) business customers, supports customer adoption of clean transportation, clean fuels and new technologies, and collaborates with hard-to-decarbonize C&I customers to develop a path to net-zero in support of SoCalGas ASPIRE 2045 and California’s climate goals. Prior to coming to SoCalGas in 2016, Erin worked as a management consultant with Kenny & Company and an energy consultant at Navigant. She is passionate about developing and promoting clean energy solutions for our changing world, and promoting policies to support and enable innovation and growth in the clean energy marketplace. Erin holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Coleen Clementson
Chief Executive Officer
SANDAG

Coleen Clementson, the dynamic CEO of SANDAG, is leading the charge to achieve success, accountability, and transparency for the San Diego region. Coleen is at the helm of planning the future, spearheading major projects, and engaging the public to ensure inclusive and vibrant community participation. Known nationwide as a visionary in land use and transportation, she is fueled by her unwavering integrity, boundless optimism, and relentless pursuit of excellence. A proud two-time recipient of the prestigious WTS Woman of the Year award and UC San Diego’s celebrated Outstanding Alumna of the Year in 2023, Coleen is dedicated to public service and the crucial task of educating residents about how their tax dollars benefit the region they call home.

Share Your feedback on Traffic Relief Plan for Riverside County

Growth is happening
While some portions of California have lost residents, Riverside County – a safe, dynamic, affordable part of the state – continues to grow. Since 2002, Riverside County’s population has increased by 67%, and over the next 25 years, our 2.5 million-person county will increase by another 500,000 residents, the equivalent of adding two new cities the size of Moreno Valley.

“There’s no question that we need to make calculated investments in our county transportation infrastructure, not only to maintain and improve mobility, but also to keep growth from overwhelming our ability to live, work, learn, explore, go places, and enjoy life,” said Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) Chair and City of Beaumont councilmember Lloyd White.

On a daily basis, residents across Riverside County contend with traffic jams, aging roads and bridges, and limited bus and train schedules. Without action, growth will only aggravate these challenges and leave residents in a never-ending congestion loop.

RCTC is listening

RCTC has developed the draft 2024 Traffic Relief Plan, or TRP, to improve mobility, enhance safety, and prevent growth from overwhelming the county transportation system. The TRP is a county-wide strategic blueprint to reduce traffic congestion by constructing highway improvements, repairing potholes on local roads and streets, increasing the frequency of public transportation, and fortifying our transportation infrastructure against natural disasters in Riverside County.

To shape the plan, RCTC has gathered input from residents on transportation priorities for local and regional corridors over the last several years.

The response has been clear and consistent: Residents want safer, smoother roads, faster-moving freeways, and more opportunities to ride convenient trains and buses. They want improvements to corridors such as State Route 79, Cajalco Road, the Ramona Expressway, and Highway 111. Residents seek help for the 91, 10, 215, and 60 freeways – from bridges and interchanges to more efficient traffic flow. Residents want to protect critical roadways and bridges from flooding, blowsand, and earthquakes.

Keep choices and outcomes local

Those who live, drive, walk, bike, and take transit here know the region best. The TRP draws strength from residents’ perspectives, creates consensus through an inclusive process, and proactively moves real transportation solutions forward – faster.

Waiting for transportation help from Sacramento or Washington, D.C. would leave Riverside County stalled indefinitely. Not only do state and federal officials have other priorities, but history suggests their involvement in local transportation issues leads to a one-size-fits-all approach with top-down mandates, politicized projects, and bridges to nowhere. The TRP is shaped by local voices and local concerns for the benefit of Riverside County residents.

The plan

In Riverside County, local action can drive better outcomes. Looking ahead, the TRP outlines a series of transportation improvements across all of Riverside County, including in western Riverside County, Coachella Valley, and the Palo Verde Valley.

The plan considers every community, and comprises eight investment areas:

  • Safe Streets and Roads
  • Highways
  • Public Transportation
  • Regional Connections, such as arterial roads
  • Commuter Assistance
  • Active Transportation, such as walking and bicycling
  • Flood and Blowsand Control
  • Environmental Mitigation

Combined, these investments would repair, modernize, and add missing links in the transportation system across Riverside County; promote cost-effective upgrades; and provide residents with an interconnected transportation network ready for the future.

Next steps

At this time, the plan is not funded. The TRP is an aspirational guide that prioritizes and facilitates those transportation projects that residents say they value most.

The plan remains open for public input through March 31. To provide your input, please visit trafficreliefeplan.org.

RCTC’s commissioners, who represent every city in Riverside County and all county residents via their Board of Supervisors, plan to finalize the TRP this spring. In early summer the commission might then consider whether or not to ask voters for funding to implement the plan and deliver results.

More input, please

As the process proceeds, residents are encouraged to weigh in on the TRP.

“We need public input to make the best decisions we can on prioritizing transportation projects and ensuring the strongest possible Traffic Relief Plan,” White said.

Public input is essential to RCTC’s mission to implement transportation solutions that connect communities for a better quality of life. Please visit TrafficReliefPlan.org to read the draft, review the priorities, and offer ideas. All voices are welcome.


Echo Park by Manny Cosentino

Artist-Designed Posters in Buses and Available at Metro Customer Service Centers

Metro Art’s Through the Eyes of Artists poster series is celebrating its 20th year! For this commemoration, posters from our archive are on display on our buses. We are happy to announce the fourth release of five posters is out now. Read about the previous three sets of posters here, here and here. You can also get them for free at Customer Service Centers while supplies last — details below.

In the tradition of colorful travel destination posters, the artworks are part of an award-winning series by local artists that illustrate the unique places accessible by Metro across L.A. County.

The fourth release of posters includes:

Where can I get a poster?

A limited number of posters are available at Metro Customer Centers. Pick one up for free while supplies last:

East Los Angeles Customer Center – 4501 B Whittier Blvd. LA, CA 90022

Rosa Parks Customer Center Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station – 11720 Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059

Lakewood by Aaron Rivera 

Wilshire/Vermont Customer Center – 3183 Wilshire Blvd, ste 174, LA, CA 90010

Miracle Mile by Jody Zellen 

Union Station/Gateway Transit Customer Center, East Portal – One Gateway Plaza, LA, CA 90012

Pasadena by Walter Askin 

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Customer Center – 3650 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Ste 189, LA, CA 90008

Topanga Canyon by Nicholas Fedak II 

Also as part of the Through the Eyes of Artists anniversary, there was a limited release of 5 special edition Art on TAP cards were released in November and 12 of the artworks are presented in an exhibition, Journeys Continued…, installed in the Union Station Passageway Art Gallery.

About Metro Art    

Metro Art enhances the customer experience with visual and performing arts that encourages ridership and connects people and neighborhoods in LA County.

Follow Metro Art on Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for the Metro Art email list to learn about upcoming art opportunities, events and exhibitions!

Click here to view full-size.

Balance, Reliability, Sustainability & Equity Guide OCTA’s 2024 Initiatives

The Orange County Transportation Authority in 2024 will focus on continuing to build a transportation network that is balanced, equitable and reliable, is fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars, and protects the environment that makes Orange County such a special place to live.
Those guiding principles are part of the 2024 Board and CEO Strategic Initiatives and Action Plan, which was unveiled during this week’s Board meeting by OCTA Chair Tam T. Nguyen and by OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson.

Each year, the newly elected chair works with the CEO to formulate and present the document that guides the agency’s efforts throughout the coming year. The initiatives are then presented to the full 17-member board for a vote. The board unanimously approved this year’s initiatives. OCTA continues to prioritize safety, which has always guided all OCTA actions.

“OCTA has a strong history of working diligently on our promise to provide a reliable and equitable transportation network that has thrived even through challenging times and improved the quality of people’s lives,” Chair Nguyen said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver on our transportation initiatives that will have a meaningful impact on the lives of Orange County’s residents, workers and visitors in the coming months and years.”

The overarching initiatives for OCTA in 2024 include:

  • Providing the Public with a Balanced, Sustainable, and Equitable Transportation System
  • Sustaining Organizational Excellence, Collaboration, and Diversity
  • Safeguarding the Future through Fiscal Responsibility and Environmental Sustainability

“Each year, the initiatives and action plan ensure that OCTA Board members and staff are working in lock step to deliver on our promises to taxpayers and to continue delivering a balanced, innovative transportation system that evolves with changing needs to keep Orange County moving safely and efficiently,” CEO Johnson said.

Early Bird Registration Now Open for SCAG’s Regional Conference and General Assembly

Early bird registration is open for SCAG’s 59th Annual Regional Conference and General Assembly at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert from May 2-3. You do not want to miss this event: the Regional Conference and General Assembly will gather elected officials and policy makers, as well as business, community and civic leaders, from across Southern California to collaborate on the future of mobility, communities, the environment and the economy. Early bird registration saves $150 on the price of admission, so register online before March 29 to lock in the savings.

Interested in sponsoring the event? Sponsorship opportunities for the Regional Conference and General Assembly are available until March 29, so don’t miss your chance to secure visibility with this valued audience.

Contact SCAG Special Events Producer Perla Lopez via email lopezp@scag.ca.gov or visit the conference website and click on “Sponsorship Opportunities” to learn more.

Flooded and damaged shoreside power infrastructure.

Port of Hueneme, Labor and Community Leaders Join Forces in “Powerwall” Response to Infrastructure Emergency

The Port of Hueneme, the pioneering West Coast Port in adopting Shoreside Power for cargo vessels, faced substantial setbacks following severe damage to its Shoreside Power System during an unprecedented rain event on December 21 and 22, 2023.

Torrential rainfall, exceeding three inches per hour, impacted the City of Port of Hueneme and surrounding communities, leading to substantial damage and flooding to the Port’s Shoreside Power System—a 1,000-year storm event.

Cargo and Flooded Terminal

Throughout the 48-hour storm, Port crews worked tirelessly to pump water away from the system. However, the overwhelming force of water and converging stormwater flows from the local community and Naval Base Ventura exacerbated the situation, resulting in significant flooding. The Port, working in concert with Southern California Edison, promptly deactivated power to the shoreside power electrical infrastructure to ensure the safety of its staff, labor and the community.

Internal and external engineering teams including Schneider Electric, Southern California Edison, H3 Engineering and CAL-OES are conducting a thorough assessment. Projected costs to rebuild the system are upwards of $30 million to $40 million.

“The Shoreside Power technology first implemented by the Port of Hueneme in 2014 was a remarkable leap toward sustainability in the maritime industry,” said Vahik Haddadian, CEO of H3 Engineering and technical expert for the Port. “The setback underscores the need for resilient infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events. I recommend the Shoreside Power be rebuilt to the highest standards required by the industry and for safety requirements.”

Local 46 ILWU offered its support from the docks with more than 200 jobs filled at dispatch. Unionized trades also made a strong showing with representation from the Tri-Counties Labor Trades Council Local 46, IBEW, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Teamsters and LIUNA 585. “We must look at our history and how our Port has been critical to the growth of our community and great union jobs. When we received the call, we mobilized in an all-hands-on deck manner, and today we are here to stand by our Port” said Joshua Medrano, Executive Secretary of the Tri-County Labor Council.

The Port of Hueneme is fully committed to aggressively pursuing all available avenues and assistance to restore the Shoreside Power System. Collaborations with Ventura County Office of Emergency Services (VCOES), California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES), and local, regional, state and federal authorities are underway to secure financial support for restoration efforts.

As a result of the damage, ocean going vessels will not be able to plug into Shoreside Power. The Port is closely monitoring air quality in collaboration with the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District and other environmental groups.

“This unforeseen challenge poses a significant impact on our community and operations,” said Oxnard Harbor District Board President Celina Zacarias. “The collaboration between the Port, local authorities and community members is crucial as we work toward recovery and strengthening our resilience.”

Despite this setback, the Port remains steadfast in its commitment to environmental sustainability, having been a pioneer in mitigating diesel emissions and will keep the course for zero emission targets for at berth vessels and all yard equipment by 2030.

In the short-term, the Port is exploring strategies to minimize impacts on operations, including the commission and purchase of an emissions capturing bonnet system and other innovative options. Long-term, the Port continues its dedication to pioneering technologies for decarbonization.

“Our commitment to environmental sustainability remains unwavering,” said Port of Hueneme CEO Kristin Decas. “We appreciate the understanding and support from our community. With collective efforts, we are confident in overcoming this challenge and emerging stronger than before.”

The event concluded with a symbolic demonstration of solidarity from Port officials, community leaders, and labor, all lining up in front of the damaged system to form a “powerwall,” pledging to work together to secure funding and rebuild the Shoreside Power System.

For more than 80 years, the Port of Hueneme has been a cornerstone of economic activity in Ventura County, generating $2.8 billion in economic activity and supporting 24,997 trade-related jobs.

Outside of Shoreside Power System

Inside of Shoreside Power System

Port Officials, Community Leaders, and Labor Come Together in Solidarity