Thursday, May 30, 2013 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time Preliminary Program To register for this webinar go to http://www.planning.org/cm/search/event.htm?eventid=23347 For more information contact us at rleiter9@san.rr.com
INTRODUCTION The APA Latinos and Planning Division and Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division are pleased to be offering the first in a series of webinars that will be focusing on cross-border planning in the US / Mexico Border Region. The purposes of this initial webinar are to: Describe some of the unique transportation needs and challenges in the California / Baja California border region; Discuss the collaborative approach that was used to prepare the California / Baja California Border Master Plan, and describe how this plan has been used by several of the major planning partners since its adoption; and Highlight some of major transportation planning issues that have been identified within the municipalities along this border, and describe innovative efforts to address these issues through collaboration at all governmental levels. Background on the California / Baja California Border Master Plan Crossborder travel at the six land ports of entry (POEs) in the California-Baja California region has grown significantly over the years. The San Diego County-Tijuana/Tecate region is home to the San Ysidro - Puerta México, the Otay Mesa-Mesa de Otay, and the Tecate-Tecate POEs while the Imperial County - Mexicali region hosts the Calexico-Mexicali, Calexico East-Mexicali II, and Andrade-Los Algodones POEs. Travel demand is expected to increase dramatically at all POEs in the region by 2030. Total population in the California-Baja California study area was estimated at more than six million in 2005 and is projected to grow to almost 9.5 million by 2030. Growth in population and economic activity will increase crossborder travel demand and continue to add pressure to the POE facilities and connecting roads. Given the current and projected travel demand at the existing POEs, improving the capacity and operations of the current infrastructure is critical to decrease traffic congestion and delays, facilitate international trade, and improve the quality of life for residents in the border region. Federal, state, regional, and local agencies responsible for the planning and implementation of POEs and related transportation facilities in the California-Baja California region agreed that a master planning process was needed to evaluate and integrate POE and transportation infrastructure development on a coordinated basis. In response to this need, the California-Baja California Border Master Plan was developed as a binational comprehensive approach to coordinate planning and delivery of projects at land POEs and transportation infrastructure serving those POEs in the California-Baja California region. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in partnership with the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Urban Development of Baja California (Secretaría de Infraestructura y Desarrollo Urbano del Estado de Baja California or SIDUE) and the U.S./Mexico Joint Working Committee (JWC) retained the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Service Bureau to assist in the development of this Plan (see complete plan document with executive summary at http://www.borderplanning.fhwa.dot.gov/documents/baja_complete.pdf). 2 P age
Figure 1: California / Baja California Master Plan Study Area This plan was completed in September 2008, and since that time has served as the framework for a wide range of transportation planning and project development activities along the California / Baja California border. Among other things, the Master Plan set priorities for improvements at the existing and future border crossings in the study area (See Figure 2), and also identified corridor improvements for various transportation modes that would be needed in order for these crossings to operate efficiently in the future. Figure 2 Existing and Future Ports of Entry on California / Baja California Border 3 P age
WEBINAR AGENDA 1. Welcome from APA Latinos and Planning Division and Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division 2. Webinar Overview Moderator Robert A. Leiter, FAICP 3. Speakers: Elisa Arias Principal Planner, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Framework for interregional cross-border planning in San Diego / Tijuana region: Role of SANDAG, state, federal and local agencies on US side of border Specific role of Caltrans in border area transportation planning, including discussion of California-Baja California Border Master Plan prepared by SANDAG Service Bureau for Caltrans and SIDUE Structure of SANDAG Borders Committee and other collaboration mechanisms for interregional planning and project development (e.g., binational stakeholder group meetings, annual roundtables, etc.) Examples of past and current transportation plans and projects in San Diego / Tijuana region Mark Baza Executive Director, Imperial County Transportation Commission Framework for interregional cross-border planning in Imperial County / Mexicali region: Role of ICTC, SCAG, state, federal and local agencies on US side of border (including specific observations on the role of Caltrans) Roles of state, federal, and local agencies on Mexican side of border Structure of collaboration mechanisms for interregional planning and project development (focus will be on the recently created Imperial-Mexicali Binational Workgroup and our goals to collaborate under three themes of Border Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Environment.) Examples of past and current transportation plans and projects in Imperial County / Mexicali region (Focus will be to review transit, highway and border crossing improvements at Calexico West-Mexicali I; and Calexico East- Mexicali II. Review of upcoming binational studies, i.e., Calexico Intermodal Transportation Center; California/Baja California Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Study; and pursuit and development of Public-Private Partnership (P3) financing for border infrastructure and the potential for creating a Border Authority. Carlos Lopez - Director of the Urban Planning Department, Secretaria de Infraestructura y Desarrollo Urbano del Estado (SIDUE)- Baja California s state transportation agency Observations on binational planning framework and collaboration mechanisms discussed above (Review of US/Mexico Binational Workgroups) Examples of past and current transportation plans and projects in Baja California; how they have been influenced by binational collaboration 4 P age
State of Baja s overview and perspective of the Border Master Plan and highlights of high priority BMP projects, such as Mexicali I-Rio Nuevo Expansion; and Mesa de Otay II - Otay Mesa East, Puerto Mexico Transit Center (concurrent development of new land ports and highways on both sides of the border in partnership with Caltrans and SANDAG). Rodolfo Argote - Director of Land Use Planning, Instituto Metropolitana de Planeación de Tijuana (IMPLAN) Tijuana s regional / municipal planning agency Observations on binational planning framework and collaboration mechanisms discussed above Examples of past and current transportation plans and projects in Tijuana; how they have been influenced by binational collaboration (e.g., Tijuana BRT project; Bike Lane Improvements at Puerto Mexico) Juventino Perez Brambila- Director of the Institute of Urban Planning, Instituto Municipal de Investigación y Planeación Urbana de Mexicali (IMIP) Mexicali s regional / municipal planning agency Observations on binational planning framework and collaboration mechanisms discussed above Examples of past and current transportation plans and projects in Mexicali; how they have been influenced by binational collaboration; focus will be on Mexicali s planned development of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, transit stations and Transit Center in downtown Mexicali near the Mexicali I Port of Entry, and planned feeder service to the Mexicali II Port of Entry. 4. Audience Questions and Answers 5. Wrap-up by Moderator 5 P age
SPEAKER INFORMATION Elisa Arias Principal Planner for Long Range Transportation and Binational Planning, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). Ms. Arias has more than 20 years of experience in transportation planning and economic analysis. She has managed several U.S.-Mexico border studies, including the model to estimate impacts of border delays on the economy of the San Diego-Baja California border region. She also managed several corridor studies and air quality planning. Ms. Arias oversaw the development of the San Diego 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy adopted in 2011, which was the first plan in California to address greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for passenger vehicles. Prior to joining SANDAG in 1994, Ms. Arias was a transportation planner for the San Mateo County Transit District and the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. Ms. Arias was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She received a Bachelor s degree from the University of Buenos Aires and a Master s degree in Economics from San Francisco State University. Mark Baza Executive Director for the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC). Since June 2010 Mr. Baza has served as the Executive Director of the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC). ICTC is responsible for managing the following programs for the Imperial Valley region: Regional Transportation Planning Programming and administration of state and federal transportation funds Administration of Imperial County s Measure D, half-cent sales tax program; and, Administration and oversight of the region s transit operations, known as Imperial Valley Transit or IVT. The IVT system includes fixed-route and paratransit services throughout the county. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director for ICTC, Mark worked for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 11 for 21 years. At Caltrans, Mark had served as Project Manager for a portfolio of planning and capital projects to improve goods movement in Southern California and ground access to all of California s land ports of entry with Mexico and the Port of San Diego s seaport terminals. At Caltrans, Mark had worked in the Divisions of Planning, Program/Project Management, and last position as Project Manager for the State Route 11 and East Otay Mesa Port of Entry project, a new state highway, CHP truck inspection facility and federal land port of entry. Carlos Lopez Director of the Urban Planning Department for the State of Baja California (SIDUE). Carlos Lopez received his Engineering Architecture Degree from the Instituto Politecnico Nacional, of Mexico City. Mr. Lopez received an Engineering Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. From 1982 to 1986 he served as Assistant Director to the Urban Development Department of Mexico City. He has over 20 years of experience as an Urban Studies Professor at the Universidad Del Valle De Mexico and La Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. Currently Mr. Lopez is the Director of the Urban Planning Department for the Secretaria De Infraestructura y Desarrollo Urbano del Estado (SIDUE). 6 P age
Rodolfo Argote Director of Land Use Planning, Metropolitan Planning Institute of Tijuana (IMPLAN) Rodolfo Argote received his Architecture Degree from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and his Masters in Urban Development from Universidad Iberoamericana. His work experience includes serving as the Art Director for Architectural projects of Tekton Arichitects and Director of works and projects for the Tijuana Real Estate group; Professor of Architectural Projects and Urban Design at the Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana, as well as coordinator of the Masters in Urban Development and Architecture at Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana. Juventino Perez Brambila Director of the Municipal Institute of Research and Urban Planning of Mexicali (IMIP) Juventino Perez Brambila is currently Director of the Municipal Institute of Research and Urban Planning of Mexicali (IMIP). He has 14 years of experience in Urban Planning, where he worked in the administration, evaluation and development of urban and architectural projects, as well as in the analysis and development of information implementing GIS. He has been working for nine years in the private sector and four in the Public Sector. He has taught at the University of the Valley of Mexico. He has worked in the development of Urban Development programs, community partial plans, integration analysis for residential urban reserves, and commercial and industrial studies focused on the sustainable development of the binational area of Imperial- Mexicali Valley. He received a Bachelor s Degree in Architecture in Mexicali at the Autonomous University of Baja California, where he also obtained an MBA in Sustainable Planning and Development. Along with his education, he also studied preparation and evaluation of investment projects in public works, as well as project management. 7 P age
OTHER INFORMATION Log-in Instructions: Registrants will receive detailed instructions for logging into the webinar prior to the event. System Requirements: Internet access with connection speed of 128 Kbps or higher Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista or higher Internet Explorer 6, Netscape 7.0, Firefox 1.0 or higher browser version Mac OS X with Internet Explorer or Firefox Flash 8.0 or higher AICP Certification Maintenance Credits: Webinar registrants may receive 1.5 CM credits. Instructions for requesting CM credits will be provided prior to the event. Thanks to our Co-sponsors and Supporters: APA National Office staff APA Divisions Council APA Transportation Planning Division APA International Division APA California Chapter APA Washington State Chapter APA San Diego Section Katz and Associates (flyer design) 8 P age