Mobility 21 honors California Transportation Commissioners

During the California Transportation Commission meetings this month in San Diego, Mobility 21, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and WTS San Diego honored the commissioners for their tireless efforts to keep California moving during an evening reception themed, “Going the Distance: Keeping the Golden State Moving.”

“I want to recognize the leadership of the California Transportation Commission over the past few years during these unprecedented economic times to keep transportation at the forefront,” said SANDAG Executive Director and Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Gary Gallegos. “Now more than ever, California’s leaders have to stand united for transportation to improve congestion, create jobs and help boost the economy.”

More than 200 transportation professionals and elected officials gathered at the Sheraton Suites at Symphony Hall in downtown San Diego for the event.

Hundreds to convene in the Inland Empire
to highlight quality of life challenges and opportunities

This week, professionals from education, sustainability, business, transportation and healthcare will gather at California State University San Bernardino at the Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s (IEEP) inaugural Inland Empire Quality of Life Summit. Industry experts, as well as the citizens of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, will share their perspectives on how to create a better quality of life in the Inland Empire and discuss the unique challenges, opportunities and successes in the region.

“Sharing best-practices and success stories among industries will highlight the abundance of opportunities within our grasp,” said Paul C. Granillo, President and CEO of IEEP and Mobility 21 Board Member. “Our goal is to build upon successes and create an unstoppable momentum of support from our region’s business and government leaders. The region is on the forefront of prosperity, this event will help the region transition with ease.”

By bringing the Inland Empire’s opportunities and short-comings to the attention of top government officials and stakeholders, IEEP can then create advocacy strategies to improve the region’s quality of life.

SCAG Regional Conference & General Assembly:
Getting Back to Golden: Jobs, Transportation and Sustainability in Southern California

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is hosting its annual Regional Conference & General Assembly May 5 – 6 at the historic La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta. Getting Back to Golden: Jobs, Transportation and Sustainability in Southern California is the theme of this year’s event, with local and state elected officials, transportation leaders, environmental experts, economists and business leaders attending. On the program:

  • See the Draft Regional Economic Growth Strategy presentation
  • Hear political columnist Dan Walters and the CEOs of Southern California’s transportation commissions discuss state and federal legislative actions and next steps
  • Beat the Panama Canal – Breakout Session
  • Sustainable Communities Strategy – Breakout Session
  • Compass Blueprint Awards and more

You won’t want to miss this exciting and informative conference.Register today or contact Linda Jones at 213-236-1912 orjonesl@scag.ca.gov.

Excellent sponsorship opportunity: The SCAG Regional Conference & General Assembly presents a unique opportunity to showcase your organization before leading experts, decision makers and representatives from public agencies and private business organizations from throughout Southern California. Last year’s event drew more than 700 attendees. This year’s event promises to be one of the largest, most prominent regional events of 2011. To secure your sponsorship, contact Tiffany Abrahms at 213-236-1811 or abrahms@scag.ca.gov.

Los Angeles business leaders advocate
for transportation in Sacramento

More than 100 business and civic leaders advocated for pro-jobs legislation in Sacramento this month. The annual Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce ACCESS Sacramento trip focused on vital issues including education, homelessness, transportation and California’s business climate. The delegation held more than 70 meetings with state lawmakers and senior officials from Gov. Jerry Brown’s office. Assembly Speaker John Pérez and California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer also met with the delegation.

Check out the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s website forACCESS Sacramento photos.

OCBC takes Washington, D.C. by storm
Excerpt from OCBC’s Indicator

Led by Chairman Eddie Northen of UPS, OCBC held up its annual “One Voice, Two Capitols” advocacy trip to Washington D.C. March 14 – 16 with a delegation of twenty business and community leaders. OCBC met with a number of elected and public officials, including Dr. Jim Baumgardner with the Congressional Budget Office, John Porcari, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Congressman Ed Royce, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, lead staffers for Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, and Bill Shuster (R-PA), the ranking Republican member on the Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Material.

“From meetings with Deputy Secretary Porcari of the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding completion of the 241 toll road, to breaking down barriers to jobs creation and duplicative government regulations, your business leaders asserted that government can – in tough economic times – help grow the economy without incurring additional federal debt,” said Lucy Dunn, OCBC President and CEO.

OCBC’s theme for 2011, “Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet” resonated on Capitol Hill as the delegation visited key Congressional leaders and Orange County’s own legislative representatives. During these visits the OCBC team discussed federal reauthorization, the completion of the 241 Toll Road, the challenge of obtaining EPA permits to complete projects, the impact of health care reform on our medical device companies, the consequences of defunding education, and the state’s long-term water needs. Read more.

Transportation transformation continues as Measure M1 sunsets and Measure M2 renews commitment to taxpayers

During a reception with dignitaries and transportation leaders, Mobility 21, the Orange County Business Council’s OCMoves and WTS Orange County commemorated the sunset of Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation, Measure M1, and celebrated the dawn of the renewed Measure M2.

In 1990, Orange County voters approved Measure M1, a 20-year program for transportation improvements funded by a half-cent sales tax. Measure M1 allocates all sales tax revenues to specific Orange County transportation improvement projects in three major areas – freeways, streets, roads and transit.

Some of Measure M1’s achievements include:

  • Added new lanes to the Santa Ana (I-5), Costa Mesa (SR-55) and Riverside (SR-91) freeways
  • Widened the “El Toro Y area,” where the San Diego Freeway (I-405) and Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) join
  • Launched Metrolink commuter-rail service and built new stations
  • Provided bus discounts for seniors and the disabled
  • Allocated billions of tax dollars for widening local streets and making road repairs

Measure M1 expires March 31 but Orange County voters overwhelmingly approved a 30-year extension, now known as Measure M2.

“The success of Measure M is a shining example of what can be accomplished when government agencies, residents and the business community work together to achieve a common goal,” said OCTA CEO and Mobility 21 Chairman Will Kempton. “We look forward to once again delivering on our promises to voters through Measure M2.”

Measure M2 will provide approximately $14 billion designed to reduce traffic congestion, strengthen Orange County’s economy and improve quality of life for its 3 million residents by upgrading key freeways, fixing major freeway interchanges, maintaining streets and roads, synchronizing traffic signals countywide, building a visionary rail-transit system and protecting our environment from oily street runoff that pollutes Orange County’s beaches.

The next SR-710 meeting is at your house

Businesses and organizations that are interested in economic development and mobility seldom feel comfortable participating in community meetings, yet their voices must be heard.

The SR-710 Conversations Online Open House, co-hosted by Metro and Caltrans, is a virtual meeting for the environmental review of what has historically been called the SR-710 Gap, a topic of regional significance.

The SR-710 Virtual Meeting, offered on-demand until April 14, gives those who may not have time to attend a meeting an opportunity to be included in the official public record for the environmental review process.

Through the Online Open House, participants may:

  • Watch SR-710 presentations
  • Download meeting materials
  • Chat with Metro and Caltrans representatives
  • Submit official comments on the scope of the Draft Environmental Impact Report / Statement

Visit Metro’s website for more information, or click here to register.

OCTA CEO and Mobility 21 Chairman participates in national transportation funding workshop

Excerpt from OCTA’s CEO Weekly Update

OCTA CEO and Mobility 21 Chairman Will Kempton participated in the Bipartisan Policy Center workshop for the National Transportation Policy Project this month in Warrenton, Va. Approximately 30 people from across the nation participated in the workshop, which focused on sustainable funding strategies for a renewed federal surface transportation program.

The invited guests discussed three themes throughout the workshop:

  • Identifying sustainable revenue sources
  • Assessing institutional and structural options for a new federal surface transportation program
  • Establishing federal support for sustainable state and local revenues

Members of the Bipartisan Policy Center plan to prepare a report detailing the findings from the workshop.

Featured Transportation Events

2011 Southern California Transportation & Logistics Summit
New Realities in Transportation and Logistics

Friday, April 15
Ontario Airport Doubletree Hotel
More Information | Register Now | Sponsorship Opportunities

Featured Speakers:

  • David G. Ross, CFA: Ranked No. 1 transportation and logistics analyst by the Wall Street Journal
  • Paul Granillo: President & CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership and Mobility 21 Board Member
  • Hasan Ikhrata: Executive Director of the Southern California Association of Governments and Mobility 21 Board Member
  • Christopher Lytle: Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach
  • John Standiford: Deputy Executive Director of the Riverside County Transportation Commission

17th Annual USC Construction Management Symposium
Sustainability in Transportation

Thursday, April 21
JW Marriott at LA Live
More Information | Register Now | Sponsorship Opportunities

Featuring:

  • Keynote speaker: Former Secretary Norman Mineta, Global Vice Chairman of Hill and Knowlton
  • 2011 USC AGC Visionary Award honoree: Art Leahy, CEO of Metro

85th Annual World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast
An Initiative of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Friday, May 6
7:30 a.m.

Los Angeles Marriott Downtown
More Information | Register Now

Featuring keynote speaker Matthew K. Rose, Chairman and CEO of the BNSF Railway Company

Self-Help Counties Coalition Legislative Reception

5 to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12
COSMO Restaurant
1100 K Street, Sacramento
RSVP Now

TRANSPORTATION EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

Tuesday, April 5
WTS Los Angeles: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Talks Measure R and America Fast Forward
more info | register

Tuesday, April 12
Self-Help Counties Coalition: 2011 Legislative Reception
register

Friday, April 15
Transportation & Logistics Summit: 2011: New Realities in Transportation and Logistics
more info | register

Wednesday, April 20
WTS Orange County: Transportation Corridor Agencies
more info | register

Thursday, April 21
USC / AGC Construction Management Symposium: Sustainability in Transportation
more info | register

April 27-28
World Research Group: Green Energy Tech Conference
more info | register

May 5 – 6
SCAG: Regional Conference & General Assembly
more info | register

Friday, May 6
World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast: Promoting Global Competitiveness
more info | register

Friday, May 13
Leonard Transportation Center Forum: The Direction of Technology in Transportation: Where is Technology Taking You?
more info | register

Wednesday, May 18
American Council of Engineering Companies: Design-Build Panel: Past, Present and Future in California
more info | register

Friday, Sept. 30
Mobility 21: Annual Transportation Summit
information coming soon