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Mobility 21 Unveils "IMBY" list at Summit
The Mobility 21
"In My Back Yard" (IMBY) List includes 21 projects aiming to improve rail safety, reduce congestion, move more people, move goods faster and create the transit system of the 21st century. "In order to secure an early economic recovery,
businesses must grow, create jobs and hire workers," said Lucy Dunn, President & CEO, Orange County Business Council. "Business success requires moving people and goods efficiently and effectively. When this mobility is assured, business
thrives and when business thrives, the state thrives."
Transportation Leaders Honored for Commitment to Improving How Southern California Moves
City of Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche was named the Mobility 21 2009 Leader of the Year for her outstanding contribution to the transportation community. Inland Action, Inc., a non-profit, non-partisan corporation of
public-spirited citizens whose primary objective is to assist and encourage Inland Empire economic well-being received the 2009 Mobility 21 Organization of the Year. Former Metro Chief Executive Officer Roger Snoble was presented with the
Mobility 21 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless efforts and accomplishments on improving mobility in Southern California. Snoble, who retired earlier this year, had a transportation career spanning 44 years. Above from left,
Carole Beswick, Inland Action; Marnie O'Brien Primmer, Mobility 21; and Mayor Carolyn Cavecche.
Read more about the winners.
Mobility 21 Challenge Announced at Summit
With nearly 70 college undergraduate and graduate students attending the Summit from universities across the region, Ventura County Transportation Commission Executive Director Darren Kettle announced the creation of
the Mobility 21 Challenge, a student competition open to four-year universities throughout Southern California. The challenge will provide a real-world multidisciplinary transportation scenario. Students will be able to bring engineering,
planning, communications and other knowledge bases together to showcase their problem-solving and present their recommendation to the selection panel. The winner of the Mobility 21 Challenge will be announced at the 2010 Southern
California Transportation Summit. The winning school will receive a $10,000 scholarship and most importantly - bragging rights.
The Future of Transportation
In the opening session, panelists including David Grannis, Planning Company Associates, and John Schmidt, Mayer Brown LLP, presented options for developing successful funding strategies. The day wrapped up with a panel
designed to showcase forward-thinking business models that are already changing the face of our transportation future. From ride sharing to developing alternative fuels, to designing consumer-friendly fuel efficient vehicles and creating
the infrastructure needed to make plug-in vehicles attractive to consumers, the Sustainability and Innovation in Transportation panel delivered possibilities.
High Speed Rail, Transportation Safety and More
Summit attendees had the option of sitting in on five different breakout sessions. Below are highlights from each session.
Read more on the sessions.
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Making High-Speed Rail a Reality
To see the Anaheim to Los Angeles segment of the California high-speed rail become a state and national priority, transportation experts recommended developing consensus and support among all stakeholders, local communities and key elected
leaders. They also recommended maximizing local financial contributions to the project and working with Congressional leaders to allocate more funds for high-speed rail projects.
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Raising Transportation Infrastucture Safety as a National Priority
Panelists discussed the challenges facing Southern California's transportation infrastructure and the need for increased investment to make safety across all modes of transportation a national priority. A number of calls to action were
developed including focusing resources to maintain our aging infrastructure of roads, bridges, tunnels and rail lines; and leveraging regional and citizen power to make transportation safety a national priority.
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Moving Beyond SB 375
The panel provided insight on the passage and implementation of SB 375, which will fundamentally change the way California develops, and requires sweeping changes to traffic modeling and land-use planning. Panelists concluded that Southern
California's leadership and marketplace have embraced transit and transit-oriented development and that projects already underway will ensure that the region reduces its greenhouse gas levels to meet the mandates set by the California Air
Resources Board.
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More Than Grade Separations
Transportation experts agreed that now is the time to plan and build goods movement system improvements today in order to handle dramatic future container volumes growth over the next 30 years. One strategy discussed was to plan
infrastructure improvements along entire goods movement corridors, taking into account interplay between rail, road and highway and intermodal systems. Panelists recommended that users should have a say in how the system is planned to
ensure that infrastructure supports existing freight patterns.
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Multi-Modalism at its Best
Transportation experts discussed the need to invest in comprehensive data that sets the transparent performance measures required to earn public credibility, set policy, plan, fund, finance and operate optimum mobility for people and
freight as the vehicle to success.
Mobility 21 "Tweets"
Mobility 21 Blogger Steve Hymon tweeted the latest session happenings during the day-long conference, including interviews with key regional leaders. Read more at
@mobility21. Highlights of the day, presentations and webcasts will be posted online at
www.mobility21.com
For breaking news on transportation-related issues, visit
www.mobility21.com.
Mobility 21 wants to hear from you
If you have ideas for future Mobility 21 Forward Motion articles, send them to Executive Director Marnie O'Brien Primmer at
mprimmer@mobility21.com.
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