Circulator - 08/15/2025 - Circulate San Diego

Nominations Close Monday at 5 PM!

The clock is still ticking! We’ve extended the nomination deadline for Circulate San Diego’s annual Momentum Awards—now closing Monday, August 18 at 5:00 PM.

These awards celebrate the people and projects making our region safer, more connected, and more vibrant. If you didn’t get your nomination in yet, you’ve got the weekend to make it happen.

Nominate a project, a partner, your agency—or yourself. Just don’t wait.

Join Us for a Special August Mixer!

Ready to connect with the movement for better transit, safer streets, and vibrant communities? Join us for our August Membership Mixer—this time, we’re headed to South Bay!

This year we have partnered with the City of Imperial Beach and the California Office of Traffic Safety to celebrate new bike and pedestrian improvements. At the mixer, we’ll premiere a short video showcasing the progress happening in the city.

Event Details:
When: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 – 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Where: Novo Brazil Brewing – Imperial Beach, 535 Florence St., Imperial Beach, CA 91932

Help Plan the Future of MTS Service

Public transportation is San Diego coming to a crossroads. MTS bus and Trolley ridership is on the rise, but a budget shortfall in just a few years threatens to end that momentum and force the largest service cuts in MTS history.

As MTS looks to address the future of public transportation service, they will be building two plans:

One plan if more money is available to the agency, and MTS can make bus and Trolley service work better for more people.
And a second plan to outline service cuts (tens of millions of dollars annually) if no extra money is received.

This effort is called MTS OnTrack, and you can help plan the future of MTS service. The plans created from MTS OnTrack will help determine MTS’ priorities for the next decade. If you care about public transportation, this is the time to make your voice heard.

Learn more about recent MTS ridership, the funding shortage and complete three quick activities online to be a part of the solution:

Vote for your transit priorities
Map where you need better transit service
Discuss what projects and improvements will be most impactful for the region

Participate by August 31 for your feedback to be included in the planning efforts.

You’re Invited! San Diego International Airport’s New T1 Dress Rehearsal: Passenger Simulation

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority invites you to participate in a Passenger Simulation Event on Sunday, September 14, 2025, from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the New Terminal 1. This large-scale “dress rehearsal” will help test terminal signage, systems, and passenger flow before the terminal officially opens.

We’re seeking up to 1,000 community members to serve as mock passengers. Participants will:

Receive a mock flight assignment and script
Sample food and beverage offerings from participating concessions
Enjoy a live Arts Program performance
Get a NT1-branded thank-you gift

Register here: https://san-citiri.my.site.com/passengersimulation/s/. Free parking available for registered participants!

Can’t attend in the afternoon? Stop by our Community Open House the same day, 9:00 AM – Noon. No registration needed!

Our report “The Powerless Brokers” Influencing Public Policy

Last week, Circulate published our latest report “The Powerless Brokers: Why California Can’t Build Transit.”

This week, we sent letters to the Legislature and Caltrans, urging them to adopt the recommendations from our report.

For the legislature, we submitted a support letter for Senate Bill 445, which is a bill to streamline permitting issues facing California High Speed Rail. The Trump administration is threatening to withdraw funding, because they see no path to completion. California should prove them wrong.

For Caltrans, we submitted comments for how they will implement Senate Bill 960, a law intended to ease permitting for transit projects crossing Caltrans rights-of-way.

Circulate is all about transforming smart ideas into public policy. We publish reports, and then do something with them, to make change. Fixing permitting in California is going to take a while. No single law or policy is going to fix everything forever. That’s why our reports have a “long tail,” and we can use them to support advocacy on a subject-matter over many years and cycles of policymaking.

Circulate Hosts California Transportation Commissioners in San Diego

Last night, Circulate proudly hosted a dinner welcoming the California Transportation Commissioners during their visit to San Diego. The Commission plays a pivotal role in shaping the state’s transportation future—overseeing investments in highways, rail, transit, and active transportation.

The evening brought together Mayor Todd Gloria, local transportation agencies, advocates, and the Commissioners for lively conversation about the future of mobility in California. Guests also enjoyed Karl Strauss Brewing Company’s iconic Red Trolley Ale — the only beer named after its hometown transit system.

We’re grateful to our dinner co-sponsors, UC San Diego and Cubic, for helping make the evening possible.

We also shared our recent report, , The Powerless Brokers, which spotlights the permitting challenges that slow down major transit projects — and offers solutions to get them built faster. It was a night of ideas, collaboration, and a shared commitment to building a transit system that can truly compete with the car.

Board & Staff Retreat: Setting Our Course for the Year Ahead

Earlier August, Circulate’s Board and Staff came together for our annual retreat to celebrate our wins, tackle big ideas, and chart the road ahead. The day was filled with energy, collaboration, and plenty of inspiration.

A highlight of the day was our special lunchtime guest, Sharon Cooney, CEO of the Metropolitan Transit System. Sharon spoke about the future of transit in San Diego and the bold steps needed to make it faster, more reliable, and more connected. Her insights sparked a dynamic conversation about how Circulate and MTS can partner to deliver the mobility our communities deserve.

Our Work Gets Noticed. Help Us Make the Next Headline. Congressman Peters Praises Our Impact

“High-Quality, Independent, Impactful” — Congressman Peters’ Words. The Press Agrees. Join Us.

Last week, Circulate San Diego released The Powerless Brokers, exposing a critical but overlooked barrier to better transit: third-party permitting. Congressman Scott Peters captured why our work matters:

“Circulate does high-quality work that is reliable for policymakers, has integrity, and is smart and imaginative. San Diego is really fortunate to have this kind of independent voice taking a fresh, hard look at these issues.”

The report is making waves. Coverage has appeared in Axios San Diego, NBC 7, KCRA3 Sacramento, El Latino, Fox 5, 600 KOGO, Streetsblog, KPBS, the Los Angeles Times, and podcasts The Overhead Wire and Freeway Exit. This visibility gets our solutions in front of decision-makers statewide, building momentum for reform.

We’re proud of the recognition—but it’s possible only because of our supporters. Your contributions help us research, publish, and advocate for the policies that make San Diego and California better places to live and get around.

Farewell: Sean Duffy