Orange County Grand Jury
• 2019-2020
Grand Jury 2019-2020 The Transportation Corridor Agencies- Are They Taking Their Toll On Orange County?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 14 findings
F1
The SJHTCA has completely fulfilled its original mandate to plan, finance, and build SR- 73 yet it continues to involve itself in future planning efforts, some of which are probably outside the purview with its charter.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Some budget cost allocations burden SJHTCA with costs not associated with an agency who has fulfilled its mandate, such as Strategic Planning and Advocacy. Based on relative road lengths, SJHTCA is allocated more than its share of common TCA costs, reducing its ability to retire its debt.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
The F/ETCA has fulfilled the bulk of its original mandate to plan, finance, and build the SR-133, 241, 261 transportation corridor network. Only the SR-91 to SR-241 connector and in compliance with the approved Alternative 22 to the SCTRE report, the termination of the link between SR-241 and I-5 remain to be completed.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
The TCA has been and continues to be involved in projects, such as the I-5 HOV and HOT lanes, toll road enhancements, bike lanes, landscape maintenance, which may be considered beyond its original and currently legislated mandate.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
With the exception of the repayment of its accumulated debts, there appears to be little if anything in the matter of highway planning, construction, or any county transportation activities the TCA can do that is not already being accomplished by OCTA and/or Caltrans.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
The TCA receives payment of Development Impact Fees for new construction per the Major Thoroughfare and Bridge Fee Program which remains in effect until all TCA bonds have been fully repaid, requiring Orange County residents and corporations to continue to pay the fees which increase every year.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
While the idea of using tolls to fund the development of new state highways in California’s historically free highway system enabled construction of the roads, toll lanes 2019-2020 Orange County Grand Jury The Transportation Corridor Agencies- Are They Taking Their Toll On Orange County? are now instead being used to increase the average speed of HOV lanes to meet the federal mandate.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
The TCA employs political and public relations consultants as a promotional tool to help broaden its scope of activities (to include advertising aimed at improving its public image) that would extend beyond its legislated boundary limits.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
The TCA has a capable in-house communications staff as evidenced by the excellent COVID-19 Communications Plan.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
Not all material presented in TCA committee meetings is available in the Board Meeting packet resulting in an incomplete presentation to the Board and public.
No recommendations for this finding
F11
Recently, much of the planning is being performed by consultants and TCA staff, who have a financial interest in seeing the TCA continue beyond its original mandate, and out of view of many of the TCA board members and the public thus creating a conflict of interest issue.
No recommendations for this finding
F12
Elected officials who have voiced opposition to the TCA have been subjected to negative information campaigns by TCA proponents.
No recommendations for this finding
F13
It appears that neither the F/ETCA nor the SJHTCA has complied with April 5, 2001 MOU signed by each of these agencies with SCAG regarding their agreement to collectively construct approximately 150 additional lane miles of highway to (per section 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Recitals, and following) over the ensuing span of the agreement.
No recommendations for this finding
F14
It was observed that some elected BoD members showed limited knowledge of the agreements and codes that govern the creation and operation of their agency possibly contributing to the potential for poor management and/or leadership.
No recommendations for this finding