Sept. 30 – Oct. 1: 2021 Virtual Summit

We are pleased to provide our 2021 Summit attendees with a custom virtual conference and expo hall experience, featuring a virtual business card exchange, expo booth video chat, video chatrooms with agency leaders, hidden “Easter eggs” throughout the conference for chances to win prizes, and more!

Virtual Summit Highlights:

  • Full educational content with broadcasts of 3 General Sessions and 8 Breakout Sessions
  • 3D Virtual Expo with special prizes
  • Opportunities for Virtual Networking
  • Mailed to you before the Summit:*
    • Summit Bento Box with curated conference info, snacks and mementos to match program highlights
    • Conference bag with promo items and printed event program

*Depending on ticket eligibility

Registration:
Early Bird: $210 (until Aug. 13)
Student/Military Personnel: $165
Late registration is $325 after Aug. 13. Don’t delay!



Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Art Hadnett, PE
Senior Vice President, Regional Growth Officer
HNTB

Art Hadnett, Senior Vice President brings more than 30 years of infrastructure and transportation experience on high-profile mega projects in the West and throughout the United States. As HNTB’s Regional Growth Officer, Hadnett oversees vital and complex infrastructure programs in growth markets, including rail, transit, architecture, tolling and aviation. He partners with the corporate leadership team on strategic growth planning and initiatives for the development of new business for markets and services throughout the Western Region. He is based in HNTB’s Los Angeles office.

Prior to this role, Hadnett served as West Division President, leading the operations of the nine-state division, including 11 offices and more than 700 employees. Before joining HNTB, Hadnett served as vice president and practice leader for Stantec’s transportation division where he was responsible for managing major assignments with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, Los Angeles World Airports and Southern California Regional Rail Authority. He is past president of the Los Angeles County Chapter of American Council of Engineering Companies and has also been a member of Women’s Transportation Seminar and Construction Management Association of America.


Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Victor Martinez
Southwest District Manager/La Area Manager
WSP USA

Vic Martinez leads WSP’s Transportation practice for the Southern Ca/Nevada District. In this role, he is responsible for working with the various Senior Directors and Local Business Leaders in driving client service and profitable growth. His projects are throughout the Southern California region. In Los Angeles, those projects include: Zero Emissions; West Santa Ana Branch; Crenshaw North; and, I-105 for Metro. In Orange County, Vic and his team are supporting TCA’s program and the San Diego Layover facility for LOSSAN. In the Inland Empire, Vic is working with RCTC on I-15 and the upcoming Smart Freeways Corridor and working with SBCTA on the West Valley BRT project. Finally, Vic in San Diego is working with the local Team on the Central Mobility Hub and the Mid-Coast Transit project. Vic and his transportation team at WSP are excited about the future and appreciate the opportunity to work with Mobility 21 to solve local mobility issues.


Summit Platinum Sponsor Spotlight:
Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International: Improving Lives through Greater Mobility and a Stronger Infrastructure

Michael Baker International is proud to serve southern California by leading projects that strengthen infrastructure while enhancing access, mobility, and safety for all.

Our team has improved lives by successfully delivering many local and regional transportation improvements. Some of Michael Baker’s recent award-winning projects include: Cow Camp Road Bridge over Gobernadora Canyon in Rancho Mission Viejo; I-10/Jefferson Street Interchange in Indio; Date Palm Drive Bridge Over Whitewater River in Coachella; and Moffett Drive Bridge between Irvine and Tustin.

Other significant projects include Michael Baker’s role as lead designer for the Interstate 10 Corridor Express Lanes design-build and prime consultant for final design of the I-15 Express Lanes, both of which will reduce congestion while accommodating future growth in San Bernardino County. We also are leading final design for the I-605/Katella Avenue Interchange, which will enhance local interchange operations and multimodal circulation in Orange County.

Michael Baker serves communities through virtual forums to guide municipal clients in securing projects for funding through upcoming Federal infrastructure stimulus dollars. Webinars are being led by National Practice Executive Malcolm Dougherty, P.E. and West Region Client Manager Shane Silsby, P.E.

Find out more about Michael Baker’s 80-year legacy of enhancing quality of life at www.mbakerintl.com.


Summit Platinum Sponsor Spotlight:
Nossaman LLP

Transportation Industry Group

Whether bringing goods to store shelves, people to work, or families together – transportation affects our lives on a daily basis. Nossaman is working to help ease congestion, improve safety, preserve the environment and expedite public projects. When public agencies face transportation challenges, they turn to Nossaman.

We help bring transportation projects to fruition. We lay the legislative groundwork, clear environmental hurdles, acquire the necessary right-of-way, devise procurement strategies and help close the deals that bring opportunities to our communities.

We work on highways, tollways, light and heavy rail, tunnels, bridges, airports and ports. Our work ranges from procuring necessary financing, to establishing habitat conservation plans, to right-of-way acquisition, and the development of intermodal legislative policy. Our attorneys work with financial and technical advisors, architects, engineers, consultants and construction firms. Our experience enables us to see potential issues years before they may arise. Our strategic view helps clients manage risk and deliver their projects on-time and under budget.

We understand the important role transportation plays locally and nationally. We are committed to helping plan, develop and deliver new and upgraded transportation systems.


Summit Platinum Sponsor Spotlight:
Skanska

At Skanska, we build for a better society. This includes building transportation projects that make Southern California a better place to live and work. From improving the movement of goods and materials across our region to creating safer and more sustainable travel options, our work serves Skanska’s social purpose.

Mobility 21’s unified voice improves our region’s ability to expand transportation options and remove the obstacles that stand in the way of needed progress. Skanska proudly supports the work of Mobility 21 and we are honored to play a continued role in helping them to transform transportation infrastructure in Southern California for its citizens and businesses.

As a business, we strive to create opportunity for our employees by advancing a culture of inclusion and embracing the diverse backgrounds, talents, and perspectives that our people bring to work each day. Our subcontracting programs provide opportunities for diverse, small businesses and we work directly with them to provide training and hands-on support.

Skanska continues to lead in safety through continuous improvement and robust training for our employees and subcontractors. In 2020 and 2021, our project teams have risen to the Covid-19 challenge to create a safe working environment for our staff and customers while still providing uninterrupted essential construction services safely.


OCTA Awards $28.7 Million to Improve Orange County Streets

Cities throughout Orange County will receive more than $28 million in Measure M transportation funds to help ease traffic by making improvements to streets and timing of traffic lights.

The Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors in May awarded funding for nine projects that will improve and widen busy streets and intersections, totaling $20.2 million.

Three additional projects will receive funding to synchronize traffic signals to ensure drivers hit the most green lights during peak traffic hours. That funding totals $8.5 million. The funds are available through Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, also known as OC Go.

“I’m proud that OCTA, even in the challenging times of a pandemic, is continuing to enhance Orange County’s transportation network and providing the funding necessary to keep Orange County moving,” said OCTA Chairman Andrew Do, also the county’s First District Supervisor. “Providing the funds for these many projects is another great example of how OCTA partners with cities to put local sales tax dollars to good use, and to keep our promises to voters.”

Since Measure M was renewed by voters in 2006, more than $456 million in competitive funding has been awarded to make Orange County streets and roads better. That amount includes external funding leveraged by OC Go funds. And that’s in addition to another $494 million in formula funding.

The most recent call for projects was issued by OCTA in August 2020 through the Comprehensive Transportation Funding Program, making funding available on a competitive basis for projects that will improve congested streets and synchronize traffic signals.

Project applications were reviewed for eligibility, consistency and adherence to Measure M guidelines.

Those receiving funds for projects include: Santa Ana (three projects), Yorba Linda (two projects), Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, and the County of Orange.

Cities receiving funds for traffic signal synchronization include: Irvine, Lake Forest and Santa Ana.

Regional capacity projects include:

  • Extending Los Patrones Parkway in the County of Orange.
  • Improving Fairview Street between 9th Street and 16th Street in Santa Ana
  • Improving Warner Avenue between Oak Street and Grand Avenue in Santa Ana
  • Improving Bristol Street at Memory Lane in Santa Ana
  • Widening Cannon Street from Santiago Canyon Road to Serrano Avenue in Orange
  • Improving the Euclid Street and Westminster Avenue Intersection in Garden Grove
  • Improving the intersection of Jeffrey Road at Barranca Parkway in Irvine
  • Widening Yorba Linda Boulevard between Imperial Highway and Lakeview Avenue in Yorba Linda
  • Widening Lakeview Avenue between Bastanchury Road to Oriente Drive in Yorba Linda

Signal synchronization projects include:

  • Portola Parkway/Santa Margarita Parkway in Lake Forest
  • Alton Parkway in Irvine
  • First Street/Bolsa Avenue in Santa Ana.


Here are Five Route Alternatives That Will be Studied for Sepulveda Transit Corridor

Metro staff this month is releasing five alternatives to be studied as part of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor project’s environmental review process. The five are:

  • A monorail alternative along the 405.
  • A monorail alternative that would use an underground segment to connect to UCLA, which is about one to two miles east of the 405 depending on campus location.
  • A heavy rail (i.e. with trains similar to Metro’s B/D (Red/Purple) Line alternative that would travel underground with an aerial section along Sepulveda Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley.
  • A heavy rail alternative that is underground, including along Sepulveda Boulevard in the Valley.
  • A heavy rail alternative that is underground, including along Van Nuys Boulevard in the Valley.

Let’s back up a step for those new to the project. 

As many of you already know, the project will be a high-speed, high-capacity heavy rail line or monorail that will run between the Van Nuys Metrolink Station and the E Line (Expo)on Los Angeles’ Westside. The line will be the long-awaited alternative to the perpetually-congested 405 freeway between the San Fernando Valley and West L.A. area and will also offer access to the G Line (Orange), Ventura Boulevard, the UCLA campus and the Purple (D Line) Extension. 

In March, the Metro Board awarded contracts to a pair of firms to do pre-development (PDA) work on two different potential types of transit (see this earlier Source post for more details) on the project.  

LA SkyRail Express is developing its proposed monorail concept that would follow the 405 freeway and take 24 minutes to travel between the Van Nuys Metrolink station and the E Line. The details are below:

Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners – Bechtel is developing a proposed heavy rail line that would be 60 percent underground with the rest mostly aerial. That line would take 20 minutes. Details below:

The idea behind the selection of these five alternatives is to study the two proposed PDA transit solutions along with other options that emerged from the Feasibility Study. We think these five give the Metro Board the best options when it’s their turn to eventually select a final alternative, otherwise known as the Locally Preferred Alternative. 

In regards to money: the idea behind the pre-development work is to bring private firms into the planning phase much earlier than is usually done. We think that greatly increases the likelihood that the project can be built via a public-private partnership (PPP) that allows innovations in design, engineering, construction approach, financing and operations. Without diving into the weeds, just developing the PDAs was a long and deliberative process that, we think, resulted in a smart approach that could result in a public-private partnership. 

Why is that important? Because this is a very big, very complex and very expensive project. Metro has $5.7 billion in funding from a variety of sources — most prominently the Measure M sales tax approved by L.A. County voters in 2016. But the project is almost certainly going to cost more than $5.7 billion, which is the exact reason that Metro is exploring a PPP. We think it may be our best chance to fund/finance and accelerate the project. 

We’re also, of course, working to make the project eligible for federal funding. Because Metro has local dollars from Measure M and three previous sales taxes, we have a good track record of using local dollars to lure the federal bucks. Our D Line Extension project received more than $3 billion from the feds and the Regional Connector another $670 million. With President Biden having proposed to greatly expand infrastructure spending, we want the Sepulveda project — arguably the most desperately needed of our future lines — to have a shot at future dollars.

And the best way to do that is study a variety of route options. What do you think of these routes, Source readers?


Safe Passage: 241 Wildlife Fence Effectiveness Confirmed by U.S. Government

Mountain lions, mule deer, coyotes and bobcats living in the Santa Ana Mountains meander through the protected habitats with ease — and peace of mind is provided for drivers — thanks to one of the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ crowning achievements in environmental protection.

The Wildlife Protection Fence along the 241 Toll Road, a years-in-the-making success story, helps maintain wildlife movement and connectivity and reduces wildlife-vehicle collisions. The 10- to 12-foot-high fence was designed as a result of a joint study with the University of California, Davis into the movement and health of the area’s wildlife.

In addition to shielding them from the road, the fence, which spans both sides of a six-mile stretch of the 241, funnels wildlife to existing wildlife bridges and culvert undercrossings that allow them protected passage to open spaces on either side of the road.

The fence is a portrait of what can be accomplished by doing what’s needed versus just what is required to check a box, said Dr. Doug Feremenga, TCA’s manager of environmental planning. While the fence was initially conceived as part of TCA’s mitigation requirement for the construction of the toll roads that comprise the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, TCA went well beyond what was required to provide real results that have lasting impact on the area’s wildlife. “We took the best of what others had done with wildlife fencing and applied those concepts to our environment. Now, our fence is the template that others follow,” Feremenga said.

The fence has set the standard for good reason. In the three years of post-construction monitoring, the fence eliminated wildlife-vehicle collisions for three of the target species (cougar, bobcat and deer) and reduced them over 90% for the fourth species (coyote).

Undoubtedly, the success has come as a result of extra safeguards built in to protect wildlife and drivers. Feremenga explains that the fence is buried 24 inches beneath the ground to prevent coyotes from digging underneath it. If a deer gets its nose into even a small hole, it can take a hold and find a path outside the fence to potential danger. Further, diamond-shaped fencing acts as a deterrent for cats that may otherwise try to paw their way through the fence. And a three-strand barbwire outrigger provides an extra safeguard so wildlife don’t climb over the top.

In April, TCA celebrated a milestone achievement as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that the mitigation efforts achieved by the 241 Wildlife Fence have greatly improved wildlife connectivity and reduced vehicular mortality of wildlife in the project area.

“The recognition by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service demonstrates the remarkable positive impact of TCA’s environmental efforts. Protecting and preserving wildlife and habitats is among our most important initiatives,” Feremenga said. Put simply, “It’s a big deal,” he said.

Monitoring of the fence includes collision tracking in addition to monitoring cameras at bridge undercrossings, jump-out ramps, culverts and fence endpoints to detect any breaches.

The project has been lauded by the community and upon completion received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP).

Fence facts

  • The fence is 10–12 feet high
  • It spans both sides of a 6-mile stretch of the 241
  • Fence is constructed of 9-gauge and 2-inch diamond mesh chain link
  • The fence is buried 2 feet to prevent wildlife from digging under it
  • Fence was constructed at a price or $10 million
  • Approximately 180 acres of habitat use is open to wildlife thanks to the project

 


SCAG is committed to highlighting excellence in sustainable planning and projects in the SCAG Region.

SCAG Announces 2021 Sustainability Award Recipients

SCAG is proud to announce the 2021 Sustainability Award recipients! Recipients of this year’s 14th annual awards include municipalities, agencies and nonprofit organizations – all recognized for excellence in coordinating land use and transportation to improve mobility, livability, prosperity and sustainability!

The 2021 Sustainability Award recipients by category:

Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability: The City of Santa Ana, for the Santa Ana Arts Collective (SAAC) Affordable Housing and Adaptive Reuse Community

SAAC is Santa Ana’s first successful adaptive reuse project, containing residential, commercial, live/work and community spaces in a renovated and re-imagined mid-century office building. Watch the video.

Active, Healthy and Safe Communities: The City of Palm Desert, for its San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project

The San Pablo project reconfigures a previous five-lane roadway to better serve pedestrians and non-motorized uses along two low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods with low Healthy Places Index (HPI) scores. Watch the video. 

Clean Cities – Alternative Fuels and Infrastructure: Sunline Transit Agency, for Driving the Future of Hydrogen

This comprehensive initiative built on Sunline’s legacy of serving the Coachella Valley and Riverside County with a clean-fuels fleet of vehicles. Watch the video. 

Efficient and Sustainable Land Use: Kounkuey Design Initiative and the City of Los Angeles, for its Adopt-A-Lot Program

This pilot project helps community group “adopters” design and build temporary starter parks on vacant and neglected lots, then maintain them for up to 18 months. Watch the video. 

Housing Innovation: Clifford Beers Housing Inc., for its Isla de Los Angeles development

Isla de Los Angeles is an affordable housing project under development in the city. One of its more innovative features is a “living lung” – a green buffer that breaks down particulate matter and serves as an organic example for developing sites within proximity to freeways. Watch the video. 

Green Region Initiative: The San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District, for the Upper Santa Ana River Wash Habitat Conservation Plan

This plan provides a collaborative, integrated and fiscally sound approach to land use that preserves precious water resources, establishes a permanent nature reserve, reduces the carbon footprint and provides economic security. Watch the video.


Rebuild SoCal Partnership to Commemorate Infrastructure Week

Rebuild SoCal Partnership (RSCP) is in the midst of a major marketing and educational campaign in conjunction with National Infrastructure Week which was May 10-14.

Plans included major ad blitz which entailed radio ads, billboards, media outreach, digital ads, connected tv, videos as well as blog and social media posts throughout Southern California.

“We believe that Infrastructure Week is the perfect opportunity to educate the public on responsible infrastructure spending,” said Rebuild SoCal Partnership Executive Director, John Hakel. “This is the optimum time to use this platform to launch a full-scale marketing campaign.”

Rebuild SoCal Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with elected officials and educating the public in Southern California on the continued need for infrastructure funding and enhance the regions’ workforce development while creating career construction jobs.

The timing of this year’s Infrastructure Week is fortuitous as it comes on the heels of President Biden’s comprehensive Infrastructure Plan, which is working its way through Congress. This more than $2 Trillion plan will repair much needed roads and bridges as well as expand public transportation throughout the US and create good paying jobs to help the economy rebound while we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Internationally, 12 other countries rank better for infrastructure, and when measuring just the state of roadways, the U.S. tumbles to 17th place. The infrastructure in Southern California rates a C minus on both the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Report Card and the White House Infrastructure Report Card.

RSCP is also using this opportunity to stress the following important messages pertaining to infrastructure: NextGen (Careers in Construction Fields for the younger generation), the increased opportunities for Women in Construction, and finally, safety in construction. You can view our exclusive videos on these subjects at – Videos – RebuildSoCal or on our YouTube page Rebuild SoCal – YouTube

Please join us in the conversation with the following hashtags: #RebuildBetter, #LeadWithInfrastructure, #RebuildSoCal, #Infrastructure

The Rebuild SoCal Partnership celebrates Infrastructure Week throughout the month of May and provides educational information online at http://www.rebuildsocal.org, via newsletters, and on the podcast, “The Rebuild SoCal Zone,” which addresses construction trends and infrastructure projects in Southern California.


Passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley is taking a step forward with release of the Draft Tier 1 Program Level EIS/EIR for public comment, May 21-July 6.

Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Service Draft Environmental Document Available May 21-July 6 for Public Review, Comments

Passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley is taking a step forward with the release of the draft environmental document this week for public review and comments.

The Riverside County Transportation Commission, in collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration and Caltrans, will release the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Draft Tier 1 Program-Level Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) on Friday, May 21 for the public to review and submit comments.

The proposed service would offer twice-daily roundtrips between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. The 144-mile corridor would include stops in four counties – Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside – with the potential for up to six stations east of Colton and the service endpoint in either Indio or Coachella.

The agencies have completed the Draft Tier 1 Program Level EIS/EIR, a high-level conceptual plan of the service and how it may affect the environment. Completing the EIS/EIR is a significant milestone and will bring this service another step closer to reality.

“Yay – a train! While passenger rail service is still many years away, completing the draft program level environmental document is a huge milestone,” said RCTC Chair and Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik. “We look forward to the day that train passengers can fully experience the attractions of our beautiful Coachella Valley. I see this as a transformational project – it will truly change how people travel between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley,” she said.

The service would offer an alternative to driving or riding the bus, serve residential and job centers along the corridor, enhance access to Coachella Valley tourism and boost economic development from the tourism industry. It also is designed to reduce vehicle miles traveled on I-10 and other major highways and improve air quality, especially in disadvantaged communities that align highways.

The next phase of work is a Tier 2 Project Level EIS/EIR, which would study needed infrastructure improvements and station locations. RCTC is working with state and federal partners to secure funds for this next phase.

The estimated timeline for service to start could be up to 10 years after the Tier 2 EIS/EIR is completed. To advance the project to design, construction, and service, RCTC and project partners must finalize the Tier 2 document, secure funding for the estimated $1 billion project, and obtain commitments from the freight railroads.

Public participation is essential. Southern California residents are encouraged to review and comment on the draft environmental document from May 21 to July 6 at rctc.org/CVRail and at libraries at Los Angeles Union Station/Metro Library, Fullerton, Riverside, Colton, Loma Linda, Redlands, Beaumont, Banning, Palm Springs, Indio, and Coachella.Comments may be submitted online, via email, and during virtual public hearings in June. Visit the webpage noted above for details.


The Mid-Coast extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley project being constructed by SANDAG will connect communities along the Trolley line, including academia, healthcare, and job centers. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

SANDAG is Delivering the Mid-Coast Trolley Extension
of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley Project
on Budget and on Schedule

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is constructing the Mid-Coast extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley project (Project), an 11-mile light rail extension from Old Town Station near Downtown San Diego to the University community, serving major activity centers such as Old Town, the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, and University Towne Centre (UTC). The $2.1 billion project is one of the region’s largest transportation infrastructure projects in history and remains on budget and on schedule.

The new light rail extension will be operated by Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), and connect to the existing Trolley track just north of the Old Town Transit Center and stretch north to the University community. The extension will complete the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley, which will connect UC San Diego and the University community with the San Diego-Tijuana Port of Entry at San Ysidro, the busiest land port of entry in the western hemisphere, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

Nine new stations are being built throughout the extension. Four at-grade stations and five aerial stations are under construction at Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, VA Medical Center, UC San Diego Central Campus, UC San Diego Health La Jolla, Executive Drive and the UTC transit center. The project also includes expansion of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor by connecting the existing double track to a 10.3 mile stretch of new double track between State Route 52 and Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego. Numerous improvements to utilities, drainage, and roadways are also included in the project.

Now in the final year of construction, SANDAG’s contractor, Mid-Coast Transit Constructors, a fully-integrated joint venture of Stacy and Witbeck, Herzog, and Skanska construction organizations, continues building the light rail extension as the project nears its expected completion and beginning of operations in late 2021.

At approximately 93% project completion, active construction is still ongoing throughout the city of San Diego. This summer, testing of the trains will begin and construction will enter its final phase of activities. Over the course of project construction, the team has built 21 bridges, installed 14 elevator towers, poured 170,000 cubic years of concrete (equivalent to 51.5 Olympic swimming pools), and installed 30.3 miles of rail track.

The Mid-Coast extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley project is the culmination of decades of thoughtful planning, design, and implementation, and will provide important new connectivity for our region for generations. Thousands of individuals and numerous organizations played key roles in ensuring this project would be realized. The project serves as a major success for SANDAG’s 2021 Regional Plan and is envisioned to be supported by the proposed Central Mobility Hub. The project represents inclusivity within the region, environmental and fiscal stewardship, and the collaboration of multiple parties from local, state, and federal levels.

The Mid-Coast extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley project is one of SANDAG’s highest priorities in its TransNet Early Action Program. A grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration is providing approximately 48% of the project funding, with TransNet providing the remaining local match and providing operating funds for Trolley operations along the extension through the year 2048.

The success to date and the expected completion of the project demonstrates SANDAG’s expertise to plan for, permit, design and build key transportation infrastructure that will improve access to transportation and transit opportunities that connect communities, major employment centers, educational institutions, medical facilities, retail centers and promotes goods movement. As SANDAG looks ahead to the refinement and approval of a Regional Transportation Plan, the completion of the Mid-Coast extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley project is a shining example of what can and should be done to advance multimodal transportation in our growing region.

To follow the final stages of the Mid-Coast Trolley project, visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/MidCoast.