Does the idea of brush fires get your goat? Well, it gets Caltrans’ goats—to help clear the brush that fuels those fires.

To highlight the importance of keeping hillsides and other fire-prone areas free of brush, District 7 took part in a media event on June 6. Featured speakers included California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Director Will Kempton and District 7 Director Doug Failing along with California Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles); Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss; and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Douglas Barry. One of the brush-clearing goats (we’ll call him Billy the Kid) also participated. 

Representatives of various Adopt-a-Highway groups also attended the event to show support, provide information and answer questions. “With State resources scarce, we are looking for community members to step up and help out in our statewide Adopt-a-Highway program,” Kempton said. “It is also critical that property owners in fire-sensitive areas make sure their property is free of brush.”

Caltrans District 7 has intensified its brush-clearing efforts at the request of our partner agency, the Los Angeles Fire Department, which has provided some of the manpower for this operation. For Fiscal Year 2007/2008, the District has spent $15 million on vegetation control.

Brush clearing operations have been underway along six Los Angeles County freeways identified as the most vulnerable, including the press conference location along the San Diego Freeway (I-405) between Mulholland Drive and Ventura Boulevard.

Another location is the eastbound Ventura Freeway (SR-134) between Harvey Drive and Figueroa Street, where hired goats, which can clear about an acre a day, were first used in a pilot project to clear five acres of dry brush. Additional locations include: the Foothill Freeway (I-210) in the cities of Sunland and Sylmar; the Ronald Reagan Freeway (SR-118) near the Ventura County Line; the Glendale Freeway (SR-2) north of SR-134; and portions of the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) and the Orange Freeway (SR-57) as well as the Ventura Freeway (U.S, 101) and Highway 150 in Ventura County.

”As steward of the State’s freeways and highways, Caltrans is very conscious of our role in fire prevention and the Department is eager to do everything possible to minimize this danger,” Kempton said. “Working in partnership with the Los Angeles Fire Department assists both agencies in our mutual goal of preserving and enhancing California’s resources and assets.”

Representatives from most major media outlets covered the event and recorded the remarks of all the speakers. Although literally speechless, one attendee seemed to particularly captivate them – the goat, who bleated out the message, “Fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility.” Or was it, “Feed me?”
 

In a room packed with enthusiastic transportation professionals and partners, Frank Quon, Deputy District Director for Operations, said that the June 18 Strategic Growth Plan Celebration was more than just a celebration -- it was a story of success.

Over 100 people from various divisions received certificates of appreciation for contributions to the successful delivery of the Strategic Growth Plan Projects during fiscal year 2006/07. The ceremony marked the culmination of what began in 2005 as Governor Schwarzenegger’s vision to deliver short-term congestion relief projects as part of a Strategic Growth Plan.

Caltrans Chief Deputy Randall Iwasaki; Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) General Manager Rita Robinson; and Borja Leon, representing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, were guests for an award presentation at the District Office Building.

“Caltrans has specific challenges unique to Los Angeles,” he said. “We are known as national leaders in congestion. But what we are less recognized for -- and most importantly -- is that Caltrans is also the national leader in trying to figure out how to get out of congestion,” said District 7 Director Doug Failing.

From the Governor’s proposal, the Department identified 38 statewide congestion improvement projects, totaling $137 million, of which District 7 implemented seven congestion relief projects for freeways and arterial highways. What made this accomplishment unique was that from the time the program started, the projects were all delivered -- and the public benefited --within 18 months. The Governor’s goal was for a two-year delivery deadline. Some of the projects are a first for the Department and some set a precedent in the country.

“The Governor’s vision presented an opportunity for Caltrans to create and identify projects that would provide congestion relief and deliver such projects to the people of California in a short period of time,” said Quon. “Adding to that, statewide, Caltrans also delivered about 300 projects for almost $2.5 billion. That is a phenomenal feat. And to be able to take on these new projects and insert them into a project delivery process was amazing.”

One freeway congestion relief strategy consisted of a $16.5-million project for system-wide adaptive ramp metering (or SWARM) on the Foothill Freeway (I-210). This was the first time that such a comprehensive metering system was implemented on a corridor-wide basis on a State Highway in California and the nation. The project has provided a significant improvement in travel speeds and reduction in congestion and vehicle hours of delay on this route.

In another project for state highways or arterials was a $14-million signal synchronization project on five state highways: Routes 1, 66, 72, 107, and 213, targeting the upgrade of 200 intersections. This system was developed and previously proven successful by the LADOT and now enables greater arterial management based on real-time traffic conditions. Again, this was also the first time that such a system was implemented on a corridor-wide basis on a California State Highway. A key element in this project is LADOT’s Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control System (ATSAC), a leading national and world model in adaptive traffic signal control systems for the past decade.

Failing credits Caltrans staff and partnerships for getting the job done right and spoke of his appreciation of our partnership with LADOT.

“You, the Caltrans employees, have stepped to the plate, moving forward, doing new things, doing different things and bringing them into the state of California – things that no one else in the world is doing,” he said. “Caltrans has achieved this success because of good partnerships. We have to work together. It’s not the state system, versus the city system, versus the county system.

“Way to go!” added Raja Mitwasi, Chief Deputy District Director. “You have done it again and again; five years in row we have delivered 100 percent. And over and beyond that, we continue to deliver more than what we commit to. I want to thank you for a job well done and for making District 7 the best in the state for five years in a row. We could not do it without all of you.”

Robinson, of LADOT, said the main focus of Caltrans and the LADOT is short-term and long-term congestion relief. “Not only are we neighbors and friends but we share your building. On behalf of the mayor and 2,000 employees I represent at the LADOT, I am proud to be here today with all of you who do the work.”

“There is harmony between our two organizations because both recognize that travelers on the transportation system don’t always recognize the boundaries of that transportation system,” Robinson said. “They depend on the system to be there. And that is why our partnership has grown so much.”

Robinson expressed her pride with LADOT’s upgraded ATSAC program and for all of their staff who worked so hard and for all of the expertise from Caltrans. She said it is important to link these resources together.

“We are so proud to have been able be part of this collaborative effort and we hope that it provides synergy for even more projects,” she added. “And if we can link our resources together, we can move this in a direction where it has probably never been before. There is only cooperation and partnership, and at the end of the day – results.”

Failing said proudly, “I extend my sincere congratulations for your exceptional work on several recent milestone operational improvement projects for the California highway system,” he said. “And I am extremely proud to share these accomplishments with all of you.” I thank everyone at LADOT for their partnership and leadership, all of the team members at Caltrans District 7 and Headquarters for their commitment and dedication to these projects.

“It is plain to see that Caltrans has the right people who are doing the work to get the job done at a time when District 7 is going through a phase where there is a higher workload than there has been in history. We are fortunate to be at Caltrans at a time like this. There is a lot of work left to do. It requires a lot of new thinking, a lot of innovation, a lot new strategies and a lot of commitment. And I am extremely delighted to be here to congratulate every one of you who continue Caltrans’ commitment to excellence.”
 

Note: For more group award photos, please log onto the Photo Gallery.

Among the stately older homes on Pasadena Avenue in the City of Pasadena, two in particular stand out for their Craftsman-style beauty and because of the clown sitting on the front porch.

The clown is none other than Ronald McDonald (in statue form), whose twin houses provide comfort and shelter to the families of children undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) owns the two houses, built in 1912 by California Governor Henry H. Markham, and leases them to the Ronald McDonald House organization.

Caltrans restored the houses to historical perfection: the hardwood floors, staircases and built-in cabinets gleam; light fixtures are either original or period reproductions; and some of the bathrooms have the original claw foot tubs.

“The minute I walked in the door, I knew it was perfect,” said Pasadena Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Marchelle Sellers. “The arrangement met all of our needs with no modifications necessary. We just love it.”

The two houses together offer 10 private bedrooms, some with attached baths, two large kitchens and pantries, large common rooms and quiet areas, as well as laundry facilities. Outside, there are beautiful gardens, outdoor eating areas and play equipment for the children.

The Pasadena house is one of four operated in southern California. The others are in Loma Linda, Orange County and Los Angeles. The charity also operates a camp in Idyllwild.

Although the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House estimates that it costs about $150 per night to house a family in its Bed and Breakfast-like setting, guests are only asked for a $15 per night donation and even that is waived if a family can’t afford to pay. Some families only need to stay a day or two, while others can spend a year or more at the facility. One family resided there for 19 months, Sellers said.

In addition to housing, the charity also provides support and assistance, such as transportation, childcare, memberships to the Pasadena YMCA (donated by the Y) transfers to nearby schools for long-term guests and even a Russian tutor for one 17-year-old Russian girl so that she would be able to graduate with her class when she returned home. “Many groups work together to meet their needs,” Sellers said, including various organizations that come in and cook dinner about 15 days a month.

The Pasadena house, which will celebrate its 5-year anniversary at the Caltrans property next Valentines Day, is the 150th Ronald McDonald House in the U.S. There are 270 throughout the world. Despite the name, McDonald’s Corporation does not directly fund the charity. Roughly 10 percent of its funding comes from donation boxes located at individual McDonalds; the other 90 percent comes from outside donations. McDonalds Corp. does, however, donate food and supplies through vendors associated with the company.

Sellers has nothing but praise for the Department and its employees. “We’ve had a really, really good relationship with Caltrans, which was amazing during the process of getting our zoning variance to be here,” she said. “People are so happy to see the houses put to such good use.”

The Department agrees. “Caltrans is delighted to play a part in such positive efforts,” said Regional Property Services Manager Linda Wilford. “We are happy to support this community in any way we can.”

Jim Hammer, the Deputy of Administration who guided the construction of the District 7 Headquarters Building and the relocation of more than 1800 Caltrans employees, said goodbye to Caltrans on June 13 to pursue opportunities in the private sector.

Hammer was known for his competance and also his kindness, not to mention his cheerfulness and great sense of humor (and, of course, his wife's pies). At a going away party where many came to wish him well, he said, "All this time, I have not just been coming to a job, but a family." 

His family will miss him. 

District 7 hosted 24 international students last month for an intensive two-week internship workshop through EDAW, a global urban design firm.

Their assignment was to present one realistic, usable and workable idea for covering a ½ mile portion of the downtown Hollywood (U.S.-101) freeway in such a way as to connect urban, downtown with the culturally rich El Pueblo, Union Station and Chinatown Districts. Phase One encompasses Alameda Street to Broadway; Phase Two extends east from Alameda Street to Grand Avenue.

The students selected to participate in the coveted EDAW internship program are considered “top” in their chosen fields of urban design and planning, landscape architecture and economics. At the end of the two-week program, each continued their internship at one of the firms’ offices around the world, including Australia, England, Asia, Middle East and the USA.

Caltrans District 7 is one of many sponsors along with Metro, Los Angeles Department of City Planning and Southern California Association of Governments. The Department provided a large meeting space, work studio, computer terminals, facilitated through the Planning Division’s Jim McCarthy, Deputy District Director, and assisted by Linda Taira, Senior Transportation Planner.

Daring the students to take a fresh, bold approach in achieving potential solutions, Caltrans District 7 Director Doug Failing was included on panel discussions that provided input to help the interns focus on things like: How will traffic be impacted with this project? In what condition will downtown workers, dwellers and visitors find downtown Los Angeles in the next 100 years?

By the end of the first week, the students, working in teams, presented six bold concepts to a panel of professionals from public agencies, private industry and neighborhood councils for guidance, direction and comments. The panel included Los Angeles City Council Member Jose Huizar, District 14; Gail Goldberg, City of Los Angeles Planning Director and Joe Brown, CEO, EDAW. The six “visions” were: “The Corridor,” “City Common,” “The Boulevard,” “Hillside Campus,” “Common Ground” and “Re-Texturizing Los Angeles.” Each brought something new and fresh to consider. Seven days later, these six ideas morphed into one concept, bringing the best of all, and they called it, “Park 101.”

With their diverse backgrounds, interns were equally skilled at drawing, design, and public speaking and presenting concepts as a united team. Along with hand gestures and pointing to examples on large cardboard boards, they used words like “interconnectivity,” “nodes,” “conscious connections,” “scattered spaces and people,” “stitching urban fabric,” and “sustainability.”

Failing used these words when he addressed the students, “In Los Angeles, a great idea doesn’t get up and walk; it gets up and runs!” Quoting Failing, it was these words that the students remembered as they began their final presentation to the a public crowd of 100 people on Friday, June 27 in the Caltrans Plaza.

They presented “Park 101” and challenged the panel to make their concept a reality and offered Failing a shovel, the ultimate symbol of a groundbreaking ceremony yet to come.

“We’ve done the automobile, now the automobile has done us,” said Goldberg in her closing remarks to the student’s final presentation. “We accept your challenge to complete the project and invite you (the students) to come back.”

Failing invited them back, too, but as Caltrans employees.

The California Transportation Foundation and Caltrans honored Frank Quon, Deputy District Director for Operations, as the recipient of this year’s esteemed Charles Purcell Award, a prestigious honor presented to individuals who have shown exemplary service in transportation.

With a commitment to Caltrans’ core mission, to Improve Mobility Across California, and a strong belief that his position and role are to provide the highest degree of public service possible, Quon also gives much of the credit for the award to his staff of traffic operations professionals.  “There is a talented and dedicated support structure in my staff,” he said.  “No one individual can do anything without the help of many.” 

Quon's 25-year Caltrans career has showcased his managerial expertise, which symbolizes innovation and sound engineering principles that have made the Department an icon in the transportation industry across the nation and world.  His significant contributions to California’s transportation system include his success during the past 10 years in pioneering and advancing the application of new technology to aid the District in improving mobility in greater Los Angeles, the most congested region in the nation.

Some of Quon’s distinguished career highlights include:

 Managed the implementation of two major Federal Demonstration Projects, the SMART Corridor Project ($50 million) along the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) and the Southern California Priority Corridor ($40 Million) that covered Districts 7, 8, 11 and 12.  These projects are considered cornerstones in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) strategies across the nation.
 Chairperson for the Priority Corridor Steering Committee throughout the last four years of its existence.
 Directed and implemented District 7’s Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS), one of the largest in the nation.

In addition, Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Southern Division and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) were jointly awarded the “Best of ITS America Partnership Deployment Award” by Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA) in 2007. These three state agencies were recognized for the development and construction of the new Los Angeles Regional Transportation Management Center (LARTMC).

 “We have accomplished of a lot of very unique things in District 7 and we have a very creative and innovative team,” added Quon.  “They have a “can do” and “will do” attitude with a common focus: to provide the greatest civil service to the public, who are truly our customers.” 

He also credits Operations and Maintenance employees for working together “behind the scenes,” as the “heartbeat of the Department.”  “They are the people who help deliver the core mission of the Department.  The public does not always see what goes on behind the scenes by these staff members.  The work they do is invisible, but they provide excellent service and outstanding results,” he explained.

And with the recent deployment of alternate route Changeable Message Signs, freeway-to-freeway metering on the Foothill Freeway (I-210), and closed-circuit freeway cameras now available on cellular telephones -- as well as a host of new and exciting innovations in transportation management -- Quon and his staff are happy about their recent accomplishments toward Caltrans mission, and are also looking forward to new and exciting challenges to come. 

Under Quon’s direction, District 7 Operations will continue to be in the forefront in the development and deployment of ITS strategies, working diligently to improve mobility in an area where the population continues to grow without significant increases in transportation facilities. Because of his vision and the support from his team, California is one of the world leaders in the development and deployment of ITS strategies.

For Dan Murdoch, Chief of Right of Way Planning and Management, providing vital support to the District’s project delivery function -- and helping people -- is all in a day’s work.

Caltrans does everything possible to provide transportation improvement projects that do not affect properties or businesses.  Though, sometimes this is unavoidable.  That is when the experts in the Division of Right of Way provide important services to assist the public through a fair and equitable acquisition process. Through property acquisition, every effort is made to assist the homeowner or business owner through what is sometimes a complex procedure. 

“Whatever it takes to help people through this course of action, we will do it to help them – and to move forward to project delivery,"  Murdoch says. 

Next April will be 20 years that Murdoch has been a part of the Right of Way team.  His length of experience includes seven years as a Right of Way Project Coordinator, which has provided him an education for his current duties, which primarily consist of managing finances for project delivery and tracking funds. According to Murdoch, about $46 million has been spent this fiscal year for Right of Way property acquisitions, relocation, utility work and condemnations.

 “Being a Right of Way project coordinator is like being a rock star; everybody wants of piece of you,” he said. “Right of Way is  a business function.  Caltrans is measured by our success in our right of way certification.  Our Division supplies what is needed to get the job done, ” Murdoch explains.

Right of Way is committed to supporting the District’s project delivery efforts through the certification function, which is a process that gets a project ready for advertising (going out to bid).  "Our work is very important and exciting and we are always looking for ways to improve,” Murdoch said.

And the workload keeps growing.  “What is important is maintaining focus and to keep moving forward,” he added.  “Newly hired staff have helped with our increased workload over the past few years.”  Some of his goals are to keep improving and to help foster a spirit of teamwork in the Division. 

"One day a right of way agent may deal with an attorney or business owner, and the next day with a homeowner. The joining of property acquisitions, to assisting with relocations, to utility clearances, to condemnation or demolition, is a process with many functions that have to take place for a project to go out to bid.  The culmination of this process represents what I do,” said Murdoch.  "There are a lot of people in Right of Way doing great work. It’s great to be part of the Right of Way team!”