Metro, L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce and Automobile Club of Southern California Lead Initiative to Help Region's Traffic Congestion

Key L.A. Officials Announce $9 Billion Plan for Top Ten Traffic Busters at Third Annual Mobility 21 Transportation Summit

LOS ANGELES, July 29 -- Top leaders from Metro, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Automobile Club of Southern California, along with Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn will announce the kickoff of a $9 billion plan to fund Los Angeles County's Top Ten Traffic Busters at the third annual Mobility 21 transportation summit to be held Tuesday, Aug. 3 at the Hilton Burbank Airport and Convention Center. The conference is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.

Los Angeles' Top Ten Traffic Busters include the expansion of light rail lines, addition of carpool lanes, improvements to streets and highways, as well as improvements to key corridors to improve the movement of goods. The total price tag for the projects is close to $9 billion.

"These Top Ten Traffic Busters represent what it will take to just keep up with anticipated growth and traffic," said Metro CEO Roger Snoble. "We need to continue to build a more efficient and comprehensive transportation network, and these ten initiatives will help keep us moving in that direction."

Sponsored by Metro and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California, Mobility 21 is aimed at bringing together leaders from transportation, government, business, labor and the community to develop solutions to the region's transportation challenges.

Members of the Mobility 21 coalition have traveled extensively to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. over the past two years to advocate for more investment in transportation for Los Angeles County.

"We want our legislators to hear this region speak with one voice when it comes to transportation funding," said Lancaster Mayor and Metro Board Chair Frank Roberts. "Through Mobility 21, we are making progress in building consensus and getting projects funded."

As an example of the coalition's effectiveness, Snoble pointed to the successful effort to secure the federal full funding grant agreement for the extension of the Metro Gold Line Eastside extension, which broke ground in July. "Without Mobility 21's help, we would not have received the funding and been able to move ahead on this important project," said Snoble.

A main focus of this year's summit is the movement of goods from the region's ports, and the resulting truck traffic and rail congestion.

"This is a critical issue in terms of our economy," said Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chair George Kieffer. "We need to be able to move goods through our ports more efficiently, and we have to find better solutions to the growing truck congestion on our transportation corridors. Mobility is not simply a transportation issue, but is vital to the growth and vibrancy of our local, and in many cases, national economy."

In addition, Mobility 21 has been involved in joining together eight organizations including the Auto Club, the California Department of Transportation, the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Transportation for the city of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works, the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, the Southern California Association of Governments and the Los Angeles Metro, to form Operation Traffix.

Operation Traffix has launched a public awareness campaign called "Watch the Road" that is aimed a changing the small, unsafe behaviors that cause traffic accidents and are the source of much of the freeway and street congestion.

"Crashes in Los Angeles County have claimed more than 3,500 lives and caused more than 440,000 injuries over the past five years," said Alice Bisno, vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "Many of these accidents could be avoided by reducing unsafe roadway behaviors including aggressive driving and driving while distracted or drowsy. We can all help to make driving safer and reduce traffic congestion simply by paying attention to the road."

The opening session of the summit will include addresses by several speakers including Metro CEO Roger Snoble, Alice Bisno, vice president of legislative affairs for the Automobile Club of Southern California, Metro Board Chair and Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts, Billie Greer, director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's Los Angeles office, and Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn.

In addition, a wide range of topics will be part of the breakout sessions including creating links between housing and transportation, strategic opportunities for transportation funding, improving traffic safety to reduce gridlock and save lives and Los Angeles as the center for global trade, transportation and economic growth.

Moderators for the breakout sessions will include Dowell Myers, professor of urban planning, USC; Sara Catz, director, Center for Urban Infrastructure, UC Irvine; Dr. Sandra Rosenbloom, professor of planning, University of Arizona and author of The Brookings Institution study, The Mobility Needs of Older Americans; and Dr. Steven Erie, professor of political science and director, urban studies and planning program, UC San Diego, and author of Globalizing L.A.: Trade, Infrastructure and Regional Development.

Mobility 21 executive co-chairs include Congressman David Dreier, Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Member James Hahn, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President and Board Chairman George Kieffer, Los Angeles Supervisor and Metro Board Member Don Knabe, Thomas McKernan, president and CEO, Automobile Club of Southern California, Senator Kevin Murray, Chair, California State Senate Transportation Committee, Lancaster Mayor and Metro Board Chair Frank Roberts and Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard.

Sponsors for Mobility 21 include: Majestic Realty, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Arcadia Transit, Claremont Transit Services, City of Commerce Municipal Bus Lines, Culver City Bus, Foothill Transit, Gardena Municipal Bus Lines, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Long Beach Transit, Montebello Bus Lines, Norwalk Transit, Redondo Beach Wave, Santa Clarita Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Torrance Transit, Port of Los Angeles, Carter & Burgess, Inc., CH2M HILL, The Gas Company, a Sempra Energy Utility, Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority, Booz-Allen Hamilton, Inc., Golden State Gateway Coalition, Port of Long Beach, Southwest Airlines and Wilbur Smith Associates.