Avoiding Permanent Carmageddon

by Gary Toebben

Next week two quintessential Southern California transportation events will occur. Over the weekend, the Carmageddon sequel will occur, shuttering the San Diego Freeway (I-405) through the Sepulveda Pass as part of a $1 billion freeway improvement program. The day prior to the closure, on Friday, Sept. 28, nearly 1,000 transportation leaders from across Southern California will come together in Anaheim for Mobility 21's 11th annual summit. Business and transportation agency officials representing seven counties and 17 million residents will discuss existing and future steps to avoid a permanent Carmageddon and strengthen the Southern California economy. 

The agenda includes:

• Supporting self-help counties in leveraging state and federal funding, including this November’sMeasure J in L.A. County to extend Measure R's half-cent sales tax for an additional 30 years
• Investing in our region's goods movement infrastructure, which serves as the economic backbone of Southern California
• Positioning Southern California as the region of choice for private investment in public infrastructure
• Designing holistic transportation systems of transit, highways, bikeways, walkways for people to live, work and play in Southern California.

Southern California will not be able to sustain its population growth over the next decades if the region does not improve mobility across all modes of transportation. Without action, our region will face gridlock traffic every day of the year. The public's support of transportation is needed to create this much-needed transportation network of the 21st century.

At this first Summit since the passage of the surface transportation reauthorization bill, Mobility 21 will be honoring Sen. Barbara Boxer with the Transportation Vanguard Award. Sen. Boxer, in her role as chair of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, spearheaded Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), the bipartisan legislation that included America Fast Forward and expanded TIFIA funding. America Fast Forward was an idea born in Los Angeles that now serves as a model for the nation. It is an example of the power of our region when we all work together.

Join us for the Mobility 21 Summit next Friday to discuss how to improve Southern California’s infrastructure for decades to come. Then spend the weekend avoiding Carmageddon, by enjoying your local neighborhoods and businesses without your car.

And that's The Business Perspective.