Obit: Rod Diridon, Transit Leader and High-Speed Rail Advocate, Dies at 87

Rod Diridon, Sr.—councilperson, supervisor, and co-chair of the U.S. High-Speed Rail Association—has passed away following an illness. He was 87.

More from U.S. High-Speed Rail:

“Rod was a giant in the transportation world,” said Ray LaHood, co-chair of U.S. High-Speed Rail and a former U.S. Secretary of Transportation. “He was totally committed to making high-speed rail a reality in California and never stopped working to provide his expertise and influence toward achieving that goal.”

“It is with deep sadness that we honor the passing of our great friend and leader Rod Diridon,” said Andy Kunz, president and CEO of U.S. High-Speed Rail, in a statement. “Rod was a tireless advocate for delivering climate solutions and a better life for Americans through the development of world-class rail systems. He spent decades doing the hard work of bringing people together to push for this important mission.”

“The earth’s ice caps are melting, which means eventually Silicon Valley will be under water,” Diridon said during a keynote address at the start of the National High Speed Rail Leadership Summit in San Jose a few years back. “Science is telling us that if the polar ice melts, water levels will rise over 200 feet, which means we’re under water right here—and that will occur unless we can reverse our addiction to carbon-based fuel.”

In that same address, Diridon said transportation—from cars to airplanes—now contributes nearly 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to research from the state’s Office of Environmental Health Assessment.

As a politician and tireless advocate, Diridon did everything he could to reduce those emissions. For more, check out KRON4’s story or the SF Chronicle.