Tollway Officials Approve Pay Study

A survey to see if pay at the Transportation Corridor Agencies is commensurate with pay at other organizations has been approved by Orange County tollway officials.

Salary ranges at the tollway agency have not changed since 1992, when the last compensation survey was done. Officials said a new study, which will cost $24,000, is necessary because the agency is reorganizing positions to focus more on finance and operations and less on planning and construction.

The public agency, which has a $594-million annual budget, is building three county tollways, using development fees and assessments, state loans and money borrowed against future tolls.

The San Joaquin Hills tollway operations committee approved the survey Tuesday, sending it to the full board.

Officials said the agency must be competitive in its compensation packages to keep employees from leaving for better opportunities. Thirty-five positions would be reviewed in the new study. Any pay raises would be contingent on annual performance evaluations.

In other business, committee members authorized a contract to provide additional landscaping along the 15-mile San Joaquin Hills toll road. The project, which will cost about $2.5 million, identifies 23 locations for potential landscape enhancements. Another $1 million will pay for the planting and maintenance of more coastal sage scrub throughout the area.