For our communications series that focuses on a different theme each month, we’re spending the month of July highlighting transportation. We talked to one of our ULI members, Marisa Mangan, Senior Mobility Strategist at SANDAG, about the transportation issues she’s passionate about and her experience at ULI.

Q: How did you get involved with ULI San Diego-Tijuana? Why did you decide to join the PFG program and what has your experience been like as a mentor?

A: My first real dive into ULI was through the 2023 C Street Technical Assistance Panel (TAP), and it ended up being such a great experience. I loved getting to collaborate with a creative, cross-disciplinary group on a corridor that needed more than just a transportation lens. It pushed me to think bigger and more holistically than I usually do in my day-to-day work.
After the TAP, I had a few informal conversations with ULI San Diego-Tijuana staff about other potential corridors to explore. That energy and openness inspired me to get more involved—so in 2024, I signed on as a PFG mentor. It’s been rewarding and honestly, just fun. The emerging professionals bring fresh passion and a real sense of purpose to shaping San Diego’s future. I try to bring in a transportation angle where it fits, but it’s a true exchange—we’re learning from each other every step of the way.

Q: What do you see as the biggest transportation challenges in San Diego? How can we address them?

A: One of the biggest challenges we face is a deeply ingrained car-first culture—what we sometimes call windshield bias. It keeps us from making the kinds of bold, people-first investments in walkability, biking, and transit that would actually make our communities safer and more connected. Despite the rhetoric, we’re not seeing the progress we need on road safety. Near misses are far too common—whether you’re inside a car or crossing the street.
We don’t always need high-tech fixes. Sometimes it’s about going back to basics: being willing to reallocate space, make room for alternatives, and truly shift our priorities. That takes courage more than anything.
Another big piece is empathy. Our decision-makers don’t always experience the transportation system the way most people do. One of the most powerful things they can do is actually use the buses, sidewalks, or bikeways they’re responsible for funding or approving. First-hand experience makes the gaps—and the opportunities—so much clearer.

Q: What is a transportation topic that you are passionate about and why is it important?

A: Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about traffic evaporation—the idea that when you take away road space from cars, traffic doesn’t automatically get worse. In fact, it often goes away. It’s counterintuitive, but it’s been proven in cities around the world. And we have a huge opportunity to try this locally.
Whether it’s a major arterial or even parts of our freeway system, we could reimagine those spaces to better support transit, biking, and walking—while improving public health, economic vitality, and overall quality of life. The results could be transformative, especially for communities that have long been marginalized or isolated by car-centered design.

Q: What advice would you give to those interested in influencing transportation issues or getting into transportation planning?

A: Start close to home. If there’s a transportation issue in your neighborhood—or one you know well—talk to your city council rep, join a community planning group, or team up with a local advocacy organization. It’s amazing what can happen when people come together with a shared vision for better mobility.
If you’re thinking about a career in transportation, figure out what aspect excites you most—maybe it’s the infrastructure, maybe it’s the policy—and don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals in the field. Sometimes a casual conversation can be more valuable than a formal internship or class. There’s room in this work for so many types of thinkers and doers—we need all of them.

Thank you to Marisa for sharing with us and for her involvement with ULI!