Santa Monica’s Juan Matute Appointed to State’s Transit Transformation Task Force

On Friday, The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) announced that California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin has appointed 25 members to the state’s Transit Transformation Task Force. Among those appointed was Santa Monica resident and Deputy Director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies.

“Transit is essential to sustainability and housing affordability in California,” writes Matute in a message to Next. “The state can take steps to ensure transit’s success into the future, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the group that will identify the path forward.”

Established in the transit recovery package signed by Governor Gavin Newsom as part of the 2023-24 state budget, the task force will develop policy recommendations to grow transit ridership, improve the transit experience and address long-term operational needs. Friday’s appointments join 70 other experts, academics activists and transit agency heads who makeup the task force.Other leaders from Southern California that will take part include Eli Lipmen, the executive director of Move LA, and Michael Turner, an Executive Officer with Metro.

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Damien Newton

Damien is the executive director of the Southern California Streets Initiative which publishes Santa Monica Next, Streetsblog Los Angeles, Streetsblog San Francisco, Streetsblog California and Longbeachize.

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