Transportation Corridor Agencies Joint Boards of Directors Take Part in Strategic Planning Workshop, Discuss Future of Transportation in Orange County

At their meeting on November 17, the Boards of the Foothill/Eastern (F/ETCA) and San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agencies (SJHTCA) received updates and expressed continued support for the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) seven-year Strategic Plan.

TCA’s Strategic Plan is a comprehensive mapping for all the Agencies’ work building on seven areas of focus: fiscal management, environmental stewardship, customer service, tolling technology, communications & public engagement, capital project delivery and regional mobility partnerships over a seven-year rolling horizon now spanning from 2024 to 2030.

In addition to staff presentations for this year’s Strategic Plan, the Boards participated in a panel discussion about the future of transportation and technology that can be employed to manage demand and adhere to the state’s environmental objectives and ever-limited transportation funding sources against the backdrop of a county that is projected to grow in population (4%), employment (12%) and housing (17%) through 2050.

The panelists included individuals from leading public and private sector entities in the field of transportation technology and transportation policy who provided an overview of how technologies such as autonomous and connected vehicles and electric vehicles are quickly being advanced and can soon become a reality in Orange County and around the globe. Also highlighted was the role technology can play to provide greater safety for drivers, including its ability to provide real time incident information.

Boards Approve Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2022

Both Boards of Directors unanimously approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022.

The approved audited financial statements for the SJHTCA show that tolls, fees and fines earned in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) totaled $158.1 million compared to $117.4 million in FY21, representing a 34.7% year-over-year increase, thanks in part to traffic continuing to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The approved audited financial statements for the F/ETCA show that tolls, fees and fines earned in FY22 totaled $199.3 million compared to $158.1 million in FY21. Again, the year-over-year increase of 26.1% is attributed to traffic continuing to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The independent auditing firm Crowe LLP issued an unmodified opinion – the highest level of assurance that TCA’s financial statements are fairly stated in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Both Agencies have received unmodified opinions on their audits every year since TCA’s inception in 1986.