In the news> Obama Administration Proposes Major Public Transportation Policy Shift to Highlight Livability Changes Include Economic Development and Environmental Benefits (Jan. 13, 2010) In a dramatic change from existing policy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, in addition to cost and time saved, which are currently the primary criteria. MORE> FTA press release Forward Motion> Governor’s Proposed State Budget Jeopardizes Transit and Transportation Funding (Jan. 19, 2010) Mobility 21 is extremely concerned that Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget for FY 2010-11 includes a major restructuring of transportation funding that could severely hamper economic recovery in Southern California. Essentially zeroing out transit funding and curtailing the revenues available to highways and local streets and roads, the governor’s budget could also prevent southern California from being competitive in future federal funding and is coupled with lower than expected local sales tax revenues resulting from the recession. Any way you slice it, this is bad news for transportation. MORE Register Now! Southern Californina Transportation Forum will be held Feb. 5 at Chapman University in Orange. The Forum is a summit for transit agency officials and transit-focused advocates and leaders, offering opportunities to share views and consider potential solutions to meet the current transit funding challenge and preserve the future of transit in Southern California. You'll get an overview of the state transit budget crisis from CTA Executive Director Josh Shaw, OCTA CEO Will Kempton, and Teamsters Local 952 EO Patrick Kelly and hear the latest on California High-Speed Rail. Plus insights, discussions on funding from state leadership moderated by Orange County Business Council CEO Lucy Dunn. Speakers include LA Metro CEO Art Leahy, SCAG CEO Hasan Ikhrata, state and federal elected officials and other stakeholders. Includes a reception 5 to 7 p.m. hosted by Orange County Business Council. MORE In the news>Moderator Conan Nolan talks to the new Metrolink CEO Eric Haley and the chair of Metrolink's board Keith Millhouse in the NBCLA Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, edition of News Conference. Featured video: View at nbcla.com Forward Motion> Funding and Building Multimodal Transit Systems By Andrea White-Kjoss President and CEO of Mobis Transportation/Bikestation One-third of America’s carbon footprint is related to automobiles – and cities across the country have demonstrated that developing alternative transportation infrastructure can offer a wide range of economic, health and quality of life benefits as well as improve the overall community. MORE Metro Opens Gold Line Extension to East L.A.

(Nov. 5, 2009) After five years of construction and more than 2 decades of planning, Metro unveiled its latest transit project Sunday, the Gold Line Eastside Extension.  The six-mile project, which was delivered on budget with a flawless 4-million plus hour construction safety record, links East L.A. with downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, as well as with the Metro Blue and Green light-rail lines, Metro Red and Purple subway lines and the Metro Orange Line dedicated busway. MORE

Gathering at the future site of the Monrovia Station attracted key supporters of the project, including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Congressman David Dreier, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, California Transportation Commissioner Larry Zarian, Metro CEO Art Leahy and Board Chair Ara Najarian, Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, Duarte Mayor and Metro Board member John Fasana, Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Chairman Keith Hanks and members of the Authority’s Board of Directors, Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors and representatives of the cities along the alignment.

Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Celebrates Green Light to Break Ground in June 2010

Governor, Federal, State and Local Officials Join Statewide to Show United California for High-Speed Train Federal Stimulus Funding Bid

Los Angeles (Oct. 2, 2009) – On the application deadline for federal stimulus funding, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined federal, state and local officials to outline California's bid for more than $4.7 billion in federal stimulus funding for engineering, design and construction of the state's high-speed train system – nearly a $10 billion investment when state, local and private matching funds are added. News Release

Mobility 21 Announces “IMBY” List of Critical Transportation Projects to Improve Mobility Throughout Southern California

The results are in: Breakout session recaps

Mobility 21 wrap-up. Blogger Steve Hymon reports from 8th Annual Transportation Summit on twitter. View highlights from Summit and interviews with key transportation officials on YouTube.

Gov. Schwarzenegger Submits Applications for $1.1 Billion in Recovery Funds Federally Designated for Intercity and High-Speed Rail

SACRAMENTO (Aug. 24, 2009) Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today submitted 42 applications for $1.1 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funding available through the federal High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program, under which states compete for $8 billion in funding designated for intercity and high speed rail. MORE

Mobility 21 Works with Legislators to Ensure Federal Funding for Train Safety Technology in FY2010 Transportation Appropriations Bill

LOS ANGELES (July 30, 2009) Mobility 21, the leading Southern California transportation coalition, today thanked California’s U.S. Senators Feinstein and Boxer, Congresswoman Lucile Roybal-Allard and THUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Olver for their leadership on behalf of the region’s efforts to secure funding for positive train control (PTC). The House Transportation Appropriations bill provided additional funds for the Federal Railroad Administration’s research and development account that can be used to fund PTC systems. The Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee provided the first installment of $50 million for FY 2010 as part of a total of $250 million authorized in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. News Release

Mobility 21 welcomes newest Executive Board member, new OCTA CEO Will Kempton

• State Transportation Chief Will Kempton, a 35-year industry veteran, hired as new CEO of OCTA.

ORANGE (June 22, 2009) – Will Kempton, head of the California Department of Transportation for the past five years, was hired today to become the new chief executive officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority. MORE

(June 18, 2009) Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica held a press conference to outline their blueprint for the next surface transportation authorization bill.

Highlights of the plan include:

• $450b 6-year bill, a 38% increase over current authorized bill
• $337.4 B for highway program
• $99.9 B ($87.6b Highway Trust fund and $12.2 General fund revenues) for public transit
• $25 b for Projects of National regional significance
• New state freight formula funding
• $50b for New Metropolitan Mobility program to help the largest metropolitan regions address congestion.
• To support Metropolitan Mobility and Access, the US. Department of Transportation, acting in part through a newly-created National Infrastructure Bank, may provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, private-activity bonds, tax-credit bonds, and other financial tools to help metropolitan regions implement their plans and finance a range of strategies including improved transit operations, congestion pricing, and expanded highway and transit capacity.
• Additional $50 b for 11 high speed rail corridors
• Consolidation or elimination of 75 federal transportation programs
• Performance-based approach
• Streamline reporting requirements and reduce red tape

Download entire Blueprint here (PDF)

Forward Motion>
Mobility 21 to State Legislature:
Hands Off Transportation!
Mobility 21 Executive Director Marnie O’Brien Primmer joined over 75 business leaders from Los Angeles County as part of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce annual Access Sacramento trip. Meeting with key lawmakers and transportation officials, the message from the delegation was clear: investing in transportation provides the jobs California needs to make its way out of the economic downturn. While transportation funding has so far escaped deep cuts, even delays in receiving payment will stop critical transportation projects now under construction or delay others from moving forward into construction. MORE

Forward Motion>
Does Transit Matter?
Transportation competes with other urgent matters for attention from law-makers: healthcare and education reform, bailouts for Wall Street and automakers, states nearing default, the war on terror. The transportation industry’s approach to advocacy has traditionally been characterized by bickering between modes and general apathy. It is time to make our case in a new way: stand united, get energized, and don’t take no for an answer. MORE

Inland Empire leaders converge to hear about Advancing Goods Movement

(May 26, 2009) Over 150 policy makers and business leaders attended Advancing Goods Movement Through the Inland Empire. The workshop, funded through a grant from SCAG, was hosted by WRCOG and RCTC in partnership with Mobility 21 and Inland Empire Economic Partnership.

Be part of a national solution. Southern California must join with other regions to develop and advocate for a national freight policy. MORE

SANBAG receives an additional $49 million in stimulus funds for the Inland region
SAN BERNARDINO, CA (April 16, 2009) – A ray of economic relief beamed down on the Inland Empire this week as additional stimulus funds were allocated for a transportation infrastructure project in San Bernardino County. The State of California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency (BTH) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) allocated $49 million of the state’s share of federal stimulus funds to San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) to start construction on the next two phases of the I-215 Freeway Widening Project through San Bernardino. News Release

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 28, 2009) Mobility 21, the leading Southern California transportation coalition, today applauds the California State Legislature for the passage of AB3x-20, which clarifies how the state’s $2.64 billion in stimulus funds will be used for funding needed transportation investment throughout the state. News Release

Mobility 21 wants to hear from you
If you have ideas for future Mobility 21 Forward Motion newsletter articles, send them to Executive Director Marnie Primmer at mprimmer@mobility21.com

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