Caltrans Will Name Chief of County District Office

California Department of Transportation Director Leo J. Trombatore is scheduled to name the chief of Orange County’s recently created Caltrans district office today.

The position has been filled on an interim basis since April 27 by Robert H. Ramey, a 43-year veteran of the agency.

Ramey said late Monday afternoon that he had not been officially notified of the final selection. However, Trombatore will hold a press conference for 10:30 a.m. at Caltrans’ 17th Street office in Santa Ana to introduce the new Orange County director.

Caltrans officials declined to comment, but Keith E. McKean, Caltrans District 9 director in Bishop, was the only finalist among three scheduled to be in Orange County today.

The two remaining finalists, according to state and county transportation officials, are Preston Kelley, director of Caltrans District 10 in Stockton, and Kenneth D. Steele, director of Caltrans District 6 in Fresno.

Orange County officials and business leaders, arguing that Caltrans has not given enough priority to Orange County projects, persuaded Gov. George Deukmejian to create a new, separate Caltrans District 12 for Orange County in April. Until then, Orange County was part of Los Angeles-based District 7, which included Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties.

During Ramey’s brief tenure, Caltrans has begun selecting and shifting staff members to Orange County as part of a long-range plan to develop a high-tech office that would plan and help build highway projects more quickly, with greater use of private consultants and engineers under contract to Caltrans.