Move SD Newsletter – Winter 2010
(Click here to download a PDF of this newsletter)
Interview:
Sarah Kruer Jager, MoveSD volunteer
Q. Why did you join MoveSD?
A. I have a great deal of respect for the group of people behind MoveSD as well as MoveSD’s core mission and vision. Furthermore, I believe MoveSD’s ground-breaking alliance between the business and environmental communities combined with the group’s thoughtful leadership and results-oriented nature is extremely powerful and is already laying the groundwork for much needed sustainable transportation and land use solutions that benefit all San Diegans.
Q. What have you learned since joining?
A. I certainly have a greater appreciation for the complexity of this region’s transportation issues and how they affect so many other aspects of our lives. The balanced solutions MoveSD is advocating are not only sustainable but cost effective, strategic, and well thought out. Lastly, in the shorter term, we have an incredible opportunity before us to actively participate in shaping the competitiveness of our transit systems and quality of life by means of the Regional Transportation Plan process. In the longer term, gas prices will increase so we must deal with these issues now!
Q. Why should other folks join MoveSD?
A. MoveSD represents and is advocating a credible, simple, and practical message that unites and benefits all San Diegans-tremendous economic growth, productivity gains, social benefits, and environmental conservation can all be achieved by means of implementing MoveSD’s vision.
Q. What else would you like people to know about MoveSD?
A. MoveSD stands behind the notion that great places have great transit. In this vein, San Diego is a great City that must have greater transit options. MoveSD is positioned and committed to being instrumental in achieving these solutions.
Message from our Executive Director
by Elyse Lowe
Stuck in traffic – again? Late to work because you missed the bus or trolley? Can’t commute by bike because it’s not safe? Hate that it’s too far to walk to work? It’s about time we tackle these challenges and find smart solutions to these problems.
To do so, Move San Diego (Move SD) is asking for your help today. Your support - $100 or more - is needed to help us make positive change in providing San Diegans with reasonable transportation alternatives.
Your donation serves a unique purpose - supporting San Diego’s only regional sustainable transportation and land use planning advocates. Move SD has one full time staff member (that’s me), two part time grant funded expert consultants, a stellar volunteer Board of Directors including the pro bono team of three land use attorneys from Sheppard Mullin Richter Hampton, as well as several interns and volunteers.
We are working to build our capacity now so that we will be more effective in our advocacy in the next year. We are determined to make a difference in regional transportation and land use planning in the next two years, as we work to make change happen. Here is how we are investing our time now and into 2010:
- Serve until 2011 on the Regional Transportation Plan update Stakeholder Working Group, and until 2010 on the Transportation Project Evaluation Criteria Ad Hoc Working Group, Move SD provide direct input where to make strategic rapid transit investments, and push for higher performing measures for public transit investments, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GhG) emissions.
- Build strong, diverse coalitions to help strengthen the voice for more effective transit for the San Diego region.
- Follow through on our comments to the draft San Diego County General Plan Update, and continue to provide written comments on federal and state legislation related to transportation, smart growth and climate change.
- Completion of the development of the North County FAST (Financially Achievable, Saves Time) plan in June 2010, as a follow up to the development of the Move SD FAST plan which demonstrates realistic means to building rapid transit infrastructure throughout Central and South San Diego.
- Assemble and host advisory groups to strategize about real time solutions to transit challenges in our region.
- Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of the FAST Plan related to the transit components of the SANDAG RTP.
- Likely to be the only independent organization to take closer technical look at SANDAG’s Regional Travel Model to identify its strengths and weaknesses.
- Participate in transportation planning forums to reduce GhG emissions in the San Diego region.
- Provide education about transit opportunities and smart growth strategies designed to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled.
- Apply for grants and bring together partners to create an educational video on the future of Smart Transit in San Diego.
- Identify and apply for grants to stabilize our operations, and build our build our capacity to hire part time development and program assistants.
Please give generously today by going to www.movesandiego.org and using our secure online donation page (through Google Checkout) to make a donation, or join as a member. If more convenient, please make a check out to Move San Diego and mail it to us:
Move San Diego
PO Box 87588
San Diego, CA 92138
All contributions are tax deductible.
If you have any questions, give us a call at (619) 702-4266. We are pleased to talk with you more about how we can collaborate better with you to support sustainable, healthy, convenient, on-time transportation throughout the San Diego region.
Sincerely,
Elyse Lowe
Executive Director
Billion Dollar “Green Dividend” for the San Diego region
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MoveSD volunteer realizes Green Dividend
Would you trade your car for a bike? One Move San Diego advocate did. An email about a bike event sent through the weekly Move News caught Heidi Konieczka’s eye - what was the Tour de Fat? Reading further about the “Car for Bike Swap”, she put together a three minute video about why she wanted to trade her car for a custom bicycle. This last minute entry worked out - a few days later, Zach Levis of New Belgium Brewing Company called to announce her selection as the “chosen one”.
Soon thereafter, on a sunny Saturday afternoon in October, Heidi’s life was forever changed when she sacrificed her ‘93 Honda Civic to the Tour de Fat altar in exchange for a bike. But not just any bike - a New Belgium, fully-loaded, hand-crafted, Fort Collins-built commuter bike and trailer. Come rain or shine, she vowed before thousands of San Diegans to adopt this two-wheeled gem as her new means of transportation for the next year.
If you were given this opportunity to be a trader, would you? Think about it - It’s about weaning yourself off the petroleum teat. It’s about becoming a better, sexier person. It’s about rediscovering the cultural thrill of public transportation. While you ponder your own reasons for switching over to the bright side of dual-wheeled, human-powered transit, pick up a bike and test it out. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Just ask Heidi.
Join MoveSD’s email list to stay-up-to-day with sustainable transportation issues in the news! Visit MoveSD.org or email info@MoveSD.org.
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According to a new study by CEO for Cities, “San Diego’s Green Dividend,” more than a billion dollars of savings can be realized through improving our green transportation habits and making greener planning and development choices.
Reducing the average regional commute from its current 23.7 daily miles per person to 20.5 dmpp would produce a financial savings estimated at $1.7 billion. This would place San Diego in the top 10% of large metro areas. (matching Portland at 20.1 mpd and Sacramento at 19 mpd). Much of this “green dividend” would be recaptured by the local economy rather than having these dollars leave the local region as they do now.
“San Diegans are already moving in this direction in response to having the highest cost for gasoline in the country,” stated the study’s author, economist Joe Cortright. “While some are able to move closer to their jobs, others have moved to using transit leaving more room for others who must continue to drive.” Cortright said.
A virtuous circle of green benefits is available: saving time, money and reducing traffic congestion. This “Green Dividend” also consists of increased happiness according to the report. The report estimates San Diego drivers could save 125 million hours per year, adding another $1.8 billion of economic value to the potential green dividend (at $15/hour as the value of the time saved.)
“Reducing the amount of time employees spend stuck in traffic yields multiple rewards,” stated Reed Vickerman, Board member of Move San Diego and Vice President of Operations of Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
Greening our transportation and land use planning would also contribute significantly to reducing our regional contributions to global warming (carbon footprint) and help bring us into compliance with state mandates to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
You can download the San Diego Green Dividend report from MoveSanDiego.org.
MoveSD News
In an effort to prepare for the 2050 RTP and in compliance with the terms of the 2008 Settlement Agreement between SANDAG and various parties regarding the adequacy of the 2030 RTP Environmental Impact Report, SANDAG is developing an “Urban Core Transit Strategy” to significantly increase the attractiveness and use of transit, walking, and biking in the urban core area, and to make transit time-competitive with the car.
This project will develop and evaluate a series of innovative and visionary transit network alternatives designed to maximize peak-period transit mode share in the urban core area and in key transportation corridors/communities, and to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the San Diego region. Transit network alternatives resulting from the planning process will be used as major inputs in the preparation of the 2050 RTP.
At November’s SANDAG Transportation Committee, County Supervisor Roberts requested SANDAG staff to further evaluate Brisbane, Australia because Move San Diego has convinced him it is a city worth looking at for transit innovation.
