TCA Boards Approve Continuation of Services with CHP

At their March 9 meeting, the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA) and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Boards of Directors approved the continuation of services with CHP for Toll Enforcement Services for an additional three years.

Since May 2000, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has been providing comprehensive patrolling on The Toll Roads. TCA funds additional hours to deter excessive speeding, enforce non-plate vehicles and unsafe lane changes at the 241/91 transition. This contract provides about 2,000 hours of overtime, on top of their regular enforcement hours, for CHP officers.

CHP and TCA staff meet quarterly to discuss ways to improve the program and enhance safety on The Toll Roads.

2023 State Legislative Watchlist Adopted

The SJHTCA and F/ETCA Boards of Directors unanimously adopted the 2023 State Legislative Watchlist.

Each year, staff develops a watchlist of bills introduced in Sacramento that are of interest or could impact TCA’s mission or toll road operations. Out of 2,632 bills introduced in the California State Legislature this year, 79 are included on the watchlist for monitoring based on TCA’s 2023/2024 legislative platform.

Staff highlighted two bills that will be monitored closely over the next several months: AB 7 (Friedman), an intent bill that would eliminate single occupancy freeway capacity projects, SB 411 (Portantino), one of four Brown Act related bills. SB 411 would indefinitely authorize alternate teleconferencing provisions that are set to expire in 2024 and eliminates the state of emergency requirement, requires a two-thirds vote and would take effect immediately if passed.

Live Oak Plaza Conservation Area Cattle Grazing Begins

The Boards were shown a video highlighting TCA’s cattle grazing pilot program. The program recently kicked off its third year at the Agencies’ Live Oak Plaza Conservation Area in Trabuco Canyon. The program, approved by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Board of Directors in 2020, helps mitigate wildfire risk and promote native vegetation growth. Conservation grazing, also called targeted grazing, is the use of grazing livestock to improve and maintain the quality and biodiversity of natural areas.

OCCOG General Assembly to Feature Three TCA Directors on Transportation Leadership Panel

San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA) Chair, Will O’Neill, will represent TCA at OCCOG’s 2023 General Assembly on March 23 as part of the event’s Transportation Leadership Panel. Joining him on the panel will be County Supervisor 4th District and F/ETCA Director Doug Chafee, representing Metrolink and Director Ryan Chamberlain, representing Caltrans.

TCA is a member of OCCOG and is a Seedling Sponsor for the event, which will be held at the Richard Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda.

Registration is free for all Orange County elected officials. Registration closes on March 15. Go to www.occog.com/occogga to sign up.

International Peers Learn Best Practices in Tolling Operations from TCA

In late February, The Toll Roads staff and Chief Toll Operations Officer Vincent Valdez, hosted the State Tolling Corporation (STC), a government-owned entity established by the state of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

During the visit TCA shared information, experiences and best practices in regard to implementing and running a tolling operation. STC is working on plans to implement a toll facility in the Melbourne Australia area.

TCA continues to be at the forefront of tolling innovation and assists other agencies – and counties – in their tolling initiatives.