 |
|
TOLL AGENICES NAME MARIAN BERGESON VISIONARY AWARD WINNER
Event marking 20th anniversary of toll agencies formation includes keynote speech by transportation policy expert, city and county recognition
IRVINE, Calif. (June 21, 2006) -- Marian Bergeson, a former California state legislator and Orange County Supervisor, was named the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ 2006 Visionary Award winner at a luncheon event today marking the 20th anniversary of the formation of Orange County’s toll road agencies.
The San Joaquin Hills and Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agencies are joint-powers government authorities made up of 18 cities and the County of Orange to operate a 67-mile toll road system in Orange County, which includes the San Joaquin Hills Toll Road (SR-73), the Foothill Toll Road (SR-241), and the Eastern Toll Road (SR-241, SR-261, and SR-133). Fifty-one miles are complete with plans underway to complete the final 16-mile segment of the 241 Toll Road.
TCA Visionary Award
The TCA Visionary Award was created in 1996 to honor individuals who have worked toward implementing the vision of an innovative public toll-road system in Orange County. While serving in the state Legislature, Bergeson co-sponsored legislation critical to the Agencies’ formation.
“The idea of toll roads in California was not popular in the State Legislature, but with the support of other Orange County leaders we were able to pass legislation that enabled these highways to be built as toll roads,” said Bergeson. “There’s no question that The Toll Roads have been a tremendous success by significantly alleviating traffic congestion and giving people transportation options.”
Past TCA Visionary Award winners include:
- The Honorable Ron Packard, U.S. Representative, 48th District
- Ken R. Smith, County of Orange
- Frank Page, City of Orange
- John Cox, former San Joaquin Hills Chairman
- Russ Lightcap, former Director of Caltrans, District 12
- William Woollett, Jr., TCA CEO
- Bill Vardoulis, former Irvine mayor and councilman and president of BV Engineering
20th Anniversary Event
The 20th anniversary celebration luncheon featured a keynote speech from Robert Poole, Jr. of The Reason Foundation, a non-profit think tank based in Los Angeles. Poole, who has served as a policy advisor to four presidential administrations and as an appointee of Governor Wilson to the California Commission on Transportation Investment, said that TCA’s example of improving mobility through tolling and public-private partnerships is one that should be expanded throughout California.
The event also included the recognition of 18 Orange County cities and the County of Orange as members of the San Joaquin Hills and Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agencies. The first meetings of the San Joaquin Hills and Foothill/Eastern Boards of Directors were held in
1986. At that time, nine cities and the County of Orange were member agencies -- the Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Yorba Linda. The goal of the Agencies was to find a way to plan, finance, build and operate three highways that had been defined as “corridors” after traffic studies determined the need and location for the roads.
As Orange County grew, TCA expanded to include new cities particularly in southern and eastern portions of the county. Today, the TCA is comprised of 18 member cities near The Toll Roads and the county. The Boards of Directors are made up of appointed City Councilmembers from each member agency and the three County Supervisors from the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Districts.
ABOUT TCA/THE TOLL ROADS
Nearly 300,000 trips are taken on The Toll Roads every weekday, saving drivers an average of 21 minutes per trip. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete; including the San Joaquin Hills (73) Toll Road from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano; and the Foothill (241) and Eastern (241, 261, and 133) Toll Roads from the 91 Freeway to south Orange County. The final 16-mile segment of the Foothill (241) Toll Road is planned to extend to the I-5 near the Orange/San Diego county line.
More: www.thetollroads.com
Editor’s Note: Bios of Marian Bergeson and Bob Poole are available by contacting Clare Venegas at (949) 754-3417.
|
