Past Events

With the rise of autonomous vehicles, there are both opportunities and challenges in how these technological advances can be harnessed to reshape future cities and improve the socio-economic health of cities. Opportunities exist to reduce collisions and improve access to healthcare for those who need it most — particularly high-cost, high-need individuals at the younger and older ends of the age spectrum. Opportunities also exist to connect individuals to jobs and change the way cities organize space and optimize trips. That said policy has lagged in this area. And despite some high-level policy suggestions from organizations such, technological change is outpacing urban planning and policy. The purpose of this symposium was to frame and develop policy around the topic of AVs particularly focused on:

• Land Use
• Social Implications of the Technology
• Economics

MTI was a proud platinum co-sponsor of this event.

The 7th Annual Silicon Valley Bike Summit was the Bay Area’s largest gathering of active transportation leaders and organizers from government, law enforcement, non-profit, and the public. This year’s keynote speaker was Tamika Butler, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and former Executive Director of Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). Tamika discussed LACBC’s work on Vision Zero, law enforcement, and creating safe bicycling for the diverse population of LA. The Bike Summit also had sessions on Safe Routes to Schools, protected bike lanes, Bikes + Transit, planning low-stress bike networks, and bicycling encouragement programs. MTI was a proud co-sponsor of this event.

Graduates of MTI's Masters of Science in Transportation Management received their hoods at a banquet attended by families and friends as well as national and international transportation leaders. An award was given to students from Urban Promise Academy in Oakland, the winning team in the Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition, and the MSTM Alumni Association honored its Alumna/us of the Year.

The need to invest in California’s transportation system is dire. Estimates suggest a nearly $140B backlog in deferred maintenance on highways, bridges, and local streets and roads. While the funding crisis is widely recognized, solutions are difficult to come by. Senate Bill 1, passed by the California legislature in early April, dedicates over $50B to transportation projects through increased fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees, yet that only partially fills the gap. This free, half-day summit hosted by MTI at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco looked at various strategies the state and local and regional governments and transportation agencies are taking to address California’s transportation needs. The results from year eight of a national public opinion poll of more than 1,500 Americans on various tax options for raising federal transportation revenues were presented.
Listen or watch:
• Keynote address (audio)
• Panel Discussion (audio)
• Complete summit (video)