Transportation Corridor Agencies Project and Staff Honored at 27th Annual WTS-OC Awards Gala

WTS-OC named the Transportation Corridor Agencies'(TCA) Design Corridor manager Juliet Su Member of the Year and honored the State Route (SR) 241 Wildlife Protection Fence Project with the Innovative Transportation Solutions award at the 27th annual Awards Gala on December 3.

WTS is an international organization dedicated to advancing women in transportation through networking, seminars, access to top transportation professionals and mentoring.

Juliet Su of Aliso Viejo was named Member of the Year for her leadership in developing WTS' Mentorship Program and her continued involvement with the annual Transportation Academy, a two-week immersion into different facets of the transportation industry for undergraduate and graduate university students. Juliet oversees the design of the capital improvements projects for TCA and she is a registered professional engineer with more than 20 years of design and management experience.

The SR-241 Wildlife Protection Fence project was honored with the Innovative Transportation Solutions Award. The $10 million project includes a 6.5-mile state-of-the-art fence expected to reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions by 90 to 95 percent, along the northern portion of the 241 Toll Road, from the 261 Toll Road north to the 91 Freeway.

The Wildlife Protection Fence is 10-to-12 feet high with an 18-inch "outrigger" to prevent animals from climbing over the fence; is buried 24 inches to prevent animals from digging under the fence; includes jump-out-ramps at one-half mile intervals to provide animals with access back into open space should they inadvertently end up on the road; and is installed along the road's shoulder to minimize natural habitat loss.

Since installing the fence in June 2014, there have been no reported vehicle-wildlife collisions within the project area.

"This wildlife fence is significant for two reasons: we are protecting the mountain lions and deer that were here long before we began building our infrastructure in the county, and we are protecting motorists," Todd Spitzer, Third District Orange County Supervisor said when accepting the award on behalf of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. "It's the right balance between environment and mobility. Since the fence was added we have not had an animal versus car accident."

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are two joint powers authorities formed by the California legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct and operate Orange County's 67-mile public toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads. TCA continues to meet the region's growing need for congestion-free transportation alternatives.