ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Today, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, who serves as a Director of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), delivered funding for transportation projects throughout the Fifth District, including the acceptance of an $850,000 grant that will support the Safe Travels Education Program (STEP) Campaign. STEP provides select school in Orange County with free resources to encourage walking and biking safely to school.
Supervisor Foley released the following statements highlighting the votes by the OCTA Board of Directors from the September 26, 2023 meeting:
Safe Travels Education Program (STEP) Grant Award: $850,000 grant award will bolster the next phase of the STEP campaign by enrolling ten new schools in the program and providing them with walk to school day events, assemblies, and roadway safety audits that will identify infrastructure improvements and provide recommendations.
“The first step in every educational journey begins with a safe route to school,” said Supervisor Foley. “During my time as a Costa Mesa City Councilmember and Newport-Mesa School Board Trustee, I worked to bring Walk to School Day events and safe route surveys to our families. Now, as a Director for OCTA, I stand with my colleagues to expand these resources so more students in Orange County can safely walk and bike to school.”
Additional Funding for I-5 Improvement Projects: As part of an effort to improve the I-5 corridor in south Orange County between the SR-73 and El Toro Road, two segments of this project received additional funding. This investment will reduce traffic and speed up the timelines of these projects. These projects include:
- I-5 Improvement Project Between SR-73 and Oso Parkway: An additional $11,450,000 to cut traffic and add additional lanes between the SR-73 and El Toro Road.
- I-5 Improvement Project Between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road: An additional $19,570,000 to cut traffic and add additional lanes between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road.
“The I-5 serves as the main artery of California and a critical lifeline for south Orange County communities,” said Supervisor Foley. “Investing in this corridor will decrease traffic, allowing everyone to spend less time on the road and more time enjoying life. I will continue to fight for this project until it is brought to completion.”
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Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Supervisor Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee Chair, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Environmental Committee, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition Co-Chair, Law Library Board of Trustees, Orange County Housing Finance Trust, Local Agency Formation Commission (alt), Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, and OC Public Libraries Advisory Board.
