Mobility 21 at work

Several times a year, Mobility 21 leaders travel to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to fight for much-needed funding to help keep Southern California moving.

Visit the new Mobility 21 advocacy webpage with links to factsheets and brochures outlining Mobility 21‘s legislative and policy priorities, including the next transportation authorization bill, goods movement, funding for transit and sustainability.

Check out the headlines from this month’s transportation news – our work is making a difference.

  • Thanks to Senator Feinstein, Southern California awarded much-needed Positive Train Control funding in FY 2011 Appropriations.
  • Senators Lautenberg, Murray and Cantwell take the lead in transforming national transportation policy with focus on freight movement. Read more.
  • U.S. DOT announced $5 million investment for OCTA’s ARTIC project – creating jobs and improving mobility. Read more.
  • Mobility 21 thanks Congresswoman Roybal-Allard as she hails $75 million bill to help prevent train collisions. Read more.
  • New bill passed by committee aimed at preventing legal roadblocks during design / build on SR-91 freeway expansion.There is still work to be done, but our strong support of this bill made a difference.
    Read more.

SUMMIT SPOTLIGHT:
Transforming lives in Zambia, one bicycle at a time

Mobility 21 is proud and excited to announce a Summit luncheon presentation by Vaughn Spethmann, “The Transformative Power of Transportation.”

Spethmann and business partner Dustin McBride are no strangers to the transportation industry – but not the kind of intermodal system we plan and dream about perfecting in Southern California. Instead, they are dedicated to improving the quality of life for thousands of hardworking Africans struggling to find the means to even get to work. With a passion for literally moving people, McBride and Spethmann co-founded a nonprofit organization called a.ker.fa to nurture a Zambian-led company, Zambikes, to provide affordable ways for individuals to purchase a bicycle.

Vaughn Spethmann,, a.ker.fa Chief Operations Officer

Vaughn has been working on developing world transportation solutions for almost 5 years and has been at the helm of scaling up and producing new ideas for bamboo bicycles and medical and cargo entrepreneurial trailers. Living in Lusaka, Zambia, Vaughn and co-founder of a.ker.fa, Dustin McBride, have started and maintained a.ker.fa’s first enterprise, one of the most successful bicycle manufacturing and mechanic facilities in all of Africa, called Zambikes. In 2007, Vaughn graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a degree in International Business.

Help redesign Mobility 21’s website and enter to win attendance to Summit

Mobility 21 needs your comments and suggestions as we begin planning for a new and refreshed Coalition website. By taking a few minutes to fill out this quick survey, you will provide us with valuable insight for addressing different aspects of our website including message, audience, content, look and feel and functionality.

After taking the survey, enter to win registration for one to the ninth annual Mobility 21 Southern California Transportation Summit on Friday, Oct. 29.

Click here to take the survey.

Calling all students: Join WTS-OC for hands-on training

While earning academic credits during a two-week academy in August, undergraduate university students will be exposed to different facets of the transportation industry, including management, finance, operations and planning, as well as engineering, construction management and transit oriented development principles.

In addition to classroom time, the students will experience transportation first-hand through a series of onsite tours, including a live construction project, the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, a Southern California rail tour featuring commuter and light rail, a hydrogen fueling station and a working bus base.

For more information or to fill out an application, contact Marnie O’Brien Primmer at 949.288.6884 or mprimmer@mobility21.com.

Goods movement congestion relief underway in San Bernardino

This month, the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) and Caltrans cut the ribbon on phase two of the Interstate 215 (I-215) Widening Project – improving congestion between Orange Show Road and Rialto Avenue. Once complete in 2013, this project of national and regional significance will add two new lanes in each direction on a 7.5 mile stretch of a highly congested goods movement corridor.

Funding for this $800 million project comes from:

  • $128 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  • $81 million from Prop 1B
  • Local funds from Measure I, a voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in San Bernardino County

“This project is not just for San Bernardino and the region, this also represents a critical goods movement corridor for the entire state and the entire country,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim during the ribbon cutting ceremony. “It’s just so exciting to see all of these pieces coming together and all of the great partnership to make something like this happen.”

TRANSPORTATION EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

Thursday, July 29
WTS Los Angeles: Crucial Confrontations Workshop
more info | register now

Thursday, July 29
WTS Orange County:
Diversity Meet & Greet with Metrolink CEO John Fenton
more info | register now

Wednesday, Aug. 4
Orange County Transportation Authority: SR-57 Groundbreaking Ceremony
more info | register now

Thursday, Aug. 12
WTS Inland Empire & WTS San Diego:
Panel Discussion on Southern California’s Toll Road Programs
more info | register now

Aug. 11, 12, 18 & 19
WTS Orange County:
Transportation Academy
more info

Thursday, Aug. 26
WTS Orange County:
Professional Development Golf Event
more info

NEW DATE!
Friday, Sept. 17
Mobility 21, OCMoves & WTS Orange County: Welcome Reception for Caltrans Director Cindy McKim
more info | register now

Wednesday, Oct. 6
CSULB Center for International Trade & Transportation:
Panama Canal Expansion: The Battle for Jobs and Cargo. Who Wins? Who Loses? Who Decides?
more info | register now

Friday, Oct. 29
Mobility 21: Ninth Annual Southern California Transportation Summit

Nov. 14-16
Self-Help Counties Coalition: Focus on the Future Conference
more info