Vital Transportation Funding Secured for South Orange County 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2007	Contact: Justin McCusker (714) 834-3550

VITAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
SECURED FOR SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY
Funding For Ortega Highway (SR-74) Widening And
Improvements At The SR-74 / I-5 Interchange On It’s Way

SANTA ANA, CA – Orange County, through the leadership of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Fifth District Supervisor Patricia C. Bates and Orange County’s own Marian Bergeson, who currently chairs the California Transportation Commission (CTC), was able to program critical funding for improvements to the I-5 / SR-74 Interchange, as well as the widening of SR-74 from Calle Entradero to Antonio Parkway.

“Traffic concerns are rampant in South Orange County and they range from driver frustration spending hours in commute, to real public safety concerns, as our roads and freeways screech to a halt,” said Fifth District Supervisor Patricia C. Bates.  “It is imperative for local leaders to fight for our fair share of transportation funding from Sacramento, we need to move these traffic congestion relief projects off the books and on the roads where it helps residents.”

This funding, as part of the 2006 State Transportation Implementation Program (STIP) Augmentation, is essential for ensuring that both projects stay on schedule.  Through the advocacy efforts of Supervisor Bates, OCTA leadership and CTC Chair Marian Bergeson, $10 million was programmed for the SR-74 widening project and $32 million for improvements at the I-5/SR-74 interchange.

Patricia C. Bates is the County Supervisor of the 5th District of Orange County and serves on the OCTA Board of Directors.

#                      #                     #