Toll Road Prices Go Up July 1, TCA Approves Budget

If time is money and you use the toll roads in Orange County, your time is going to become a little more valuable after July 1. 

That's the date that using the toll roads is going to cost you a little more money.

Toll increases go into effect July 1, with cash tolls rising 25 cents on the 133, 241 and 261 toll roads at all locations except Los Alisos Blvd., and Oso Parkway.

Cash tolls will increase by 50 cents on the 73 toll road at the Catalina View Toll Plaza, and 25 cents at Aliso Creek, El Toro, Newport Coast and Bonita Canyon ramp toll plazas.

FasTrak customers aren't getting away free. Those who pass through the electronic tolling sensors will be nicked an additional five percent on the 133, 241 and 261 toll roads at all toll locations except for Los Alisos and Oso.

The toll will increase 10 percent at all locations on the 73 except for La Paz.

The price increase is to meet bond indenture requirements.

Also announced Friday was the Transportation Corridor Agencies approving budgets for Fiscal Year 2013.

The budgets total $266 million—$111.2 million for the Juan Hills Transportation Corridor Agency, and $154.8 million for the Foothill/Eastern TCA.

The budgets include two major initiatives—$9.4 million to transition The Toll Roads to all electronic billing, and $5.6 million to complete the design and environmental permitting for the State Route 241 Tesoro Extension Project.

The Tesoro extension will lengthen the 241 from its current terminus at Oso Parkway to the vicinity of Ortega Highway, about 5 1/2 miles. Construction is expected to begin in the next fiscal year.

According to the budget, debt service over the next fiscal year is $104.7 million for the F/ETCA and $93.2 million for the SJHTCA.

Other items in the budget include:

• $1.4 million to complete a preliminary design and environmental clearance to link the 241 to the express lanes on Highway 91.
• $484,000 to upgrade violation cameras and install new FasTrak transponder readers at various locations.
• $1.8 million to manage the TCA's environmental program, including restoring 15 acres of coastal sage scrub, cactus scrub and perennial grasslands at the Strawberry Farms location, and improve wildlife crossings.
• $1 million for promotions to convert cash customers to FasTrak and License Plate Tolling accounts.

The Board of Directors elected officers for the next fiscal year. The F/ETCA board elected Lisa Bartlett of Dana Point as chairwoman, Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates as vice chairwoman, and Jim Dahl of San Clemente as secretary. The San Juan Hills board elected Rush Hill of Newport Beach its chairman, Vince Sarmiento of Santa Ana its vice chairman, and Gary Monahan of Costa Mesa its secretary.