PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeremy Bloom
(619) 841-2258
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Circulate San Diego Announces 2025 Momentum Award Winners
San Diego, October 27, 2025 — Circulate San Diego, a nonprofit organization who’s mission is to create excellent mobility choices and vibrant, healthy neighborhoods, celebrated the winners of its 2025 Momentum Awards at the Quartyard in Downtown San Diego. The annual event brought together more than 200 community leaders, including elected officials, representatives from SANDAG and MTS, and partners from the transportation, housing, and land use sectors.
Circulate San Diego CEO Colin Parent reflected on the evening, saying, “From major housing projects to young people advocating for change, the Momentum Awards celebrate the many ways people are improving our region. This year’s honorees—agencies, community groups, and individual leaders alike—show how collective effort and shared values can create real progress for San Diego.”
The event celebrated eight award categories, including seven juried Momentum Awards selected by a panel of regional leader, and the Walk the Walk Award, recognizing leaders who champion sustainable transportation and progressive land use. The juried awards honor projects and individuals that have made a measurable impact on mobility, safety, housing, and environmental sustainability throughout the San Diego region.
This year’s Walk the Walk honorees included City of San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno, Climate Action Campaign Executive Director Nicole Capretz, and County of San Diego Senior Planner, Hugo Salgado for their leadership on policies improving safety and livability across California and San Diego.
Circulate San Diego was proud to celebrate so many transformative projects and advocates helping to shape a more connected, sustainable region.
All award winners are listed below. Photos from the event are below.
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2025 Momentum Award Winners
Safe Streets and Vision Zero Award
Winner: County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation – Lakeside Teen Center
The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation’s Lakeside Teen Center creates a safe, positive, and engaging space for youth at Lindo Lake County Park. Through fitness, art, and leadership programs, the Center helps young people build confidence and community connection. Its Bike Rodeos teach safe riding skills, encourage active transportation, and provide teens with free bikes, scooters, and helmets. The Center also leads the Back 2 School Jam, distributing backpacks and safety resources to local families. By fostering safety, creativity, and belonging, the Lakeside Teen Center continues to make a lasting difference for Lakeside youth and their families.
Public Transit Connectivity Award
Winner: Flagship Cruises & Events – Zero Emission Sustainable Transportation (ZEST) Project
The Zero Emission Sustainable Transportation (ZEST) Project, led by Flagship Cruises & Events, is transforming how San Diegans travel across the bay. Supported by the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the Port of San Diego, Aurora Marine Design, and Momentum, ZEST is launching the nation’s first fully battery-electric passenger ferries. This collaborative project will eliminate millions of vehicle miles traveled and improve air quality for waterfront communities. By integrating innovation, public-private partnership, and environmental stewardship, ZEST sets a new standard for sustainable transportation in coastal cities.
Innovation Award
Winners #1: San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) – PRONTO Contactless Payment Project
The PRONTO Contactless Payment Project, led by MTS in collaboration with the North County Transit District (NCTD), INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc., and Cal-ITP, has revolutionized how San Diegans pay for transit. Riders can now simply tap a credit card, smartphone, or smartwatch to board—no app, cash, or fare card required. Since its 2024 launch, PRONTO has processed more than 1.3 million contactless transactions, making MTS and NCTD the first transit agencies in California to reach that milestone.
Winner #2: UC San Diego Transportation Services and Hayden AI – Automated Bike Lane, Bus Stop, and Bus Lane Enforcement Pilot
The UC San Diego Transportation Services team, in partnership with Hayden AI, became the first university in the nation to pilot AI-powered, bus-mounted cameras to detect illegal parking in bike lanes and bus zones. During a 59-day test, the system recorded more than 1,100 violations—nearly 90 percent blocking bike lanes—providing data that’s now shaping safer, smarter street design. Both projects demonstrate how technology can improve accessibility, safety, and sustainability in public transportation.
Public Voice Award
Winners: Lauren Hepler and Robert Lewis, CalMatters – License to Kill
The investigative series License to Kill by CalMatters reporters Lauren Hepler and Robert Lewis exposed how gaps in California’s traffic enforcement and DMV reporting systems allow dangerous drivers to remain on the road—often with fatal consequences. Through meticulous reporting and storytelling, they revealed how weak oversight and outdated procedures lead to preventable crashes. Their work prompted renewed calls for accountability and reform, amplifying the voices of victims’ families and strengthening California’s commitment to safer streets.
Mid-Coast Award
Winners #1: Clairemont Transit Corridor Beautification
The Clairemont Transit Corridor Beautification Project, led by the Clairemont Town Council Foundation with support from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), ArtReach San Diego, and local artists, has transformed utility boxes and public spaces along Morena Boulevard, Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, and Clairemont Drive into colorful works of art celebrating community identity and nature. The project expanded in 2024–25 with a 48-foot mural beside the Clairemont Drive Trolley Station, designed with community input to greet transit riders with a vibrant gateway into the neighborhood.
Winner #2: John Haggerty
John Haggerty, former Director of Rail at SANDAG, is also honored for his leadership in delivering the Mid-Coast Trolley Extension—one of San Diego’s most transformative infrastructure projects. Completed on time and under budget, the extension remains a national model of efficient, community-driven project delivery. Haggerty’s vision and collaborative leadership continue to inspire transit development across the region.
Sustainable Growth Award
Winners: City of San Marcos and Sea Breeze Properties – University District Specific Plan (North City)
The University District Specific Plan, known as North City, exemplifies sustainable urban growth through a partnership between the City of San Marcos and Sea Breeze Properties. The 205-acre district connects housing, jobs, shops, and education in a walkable, transit-oriented environment anchored by California State University San Marcos and the SPRINTER rail line. With affordable housing, active-transportation infrastructure, and vibrant public spaces, North City has transformed a suburban area into a thriving urban core—showing how inland North County can grow equitably and sustainably.
Advocate Award
Winner: Kesav “KC” Gupta – SanDiego350 and People’s Platform of San Diego
Kesav “KC” Gupta, Executive Director of the People’s Platform of San Diego and Transportation Lead at SanDiego350, is honored for his leadership in advancing transit justice, climate action, and equitable mobility. KC mobilized youth and community advocates to redirect $27.5 million from highway expansion to transit investment and helped MTS safeguard essential service levels. Through coalition-building, public engagement, and policy advocacy, he has reshaped regional conversations about funding and designing a sustainable transportation system for all.
Walk the Walk Awards
Winner #1: Hugo Salgado, County of San Diego
As Senior Planner in the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Planning Division, Hugo Salgado is recognized for his leadership in implementing the County’s Climate Action Plan and advancing clean transportation initiatives. His collaborative, community-based approach bridges planning and implementation—turning climate goals into on-the-ground improvements that reduce emissions and improve quality of life.
Winner #2: Nicole Capretz, Climate Action Campaign
Nicole Capretz, Founder and Executive Director of the Climate Action Campaign, is honored for her decade of leadership linking climate policy, housing, and transportation. Under her direction, San Diego’s Climate Action Plan became a national model for zero-carbon mobility and clean energy. Her advocacy unites environmental, housing, and transportation movements around shared goals for safe, affordable, and sustainable communities.
Winner #3: Councilmember Vivian Moreno, City of San Diego
Councilmember Vivian Moreno, representing District 8, is recognized for her leadership in advancing housing, land use, and equitable growth in San Diego. Through her service on SANDAG, MTS, and multiple city policy committees, she has championed community plan updates, zoning reforms, and infrastructure investments that expand housing opportunities and create safer, more walkable neighborhoods.
