South Bay toll road revenues come in over projection

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Revenue for the South Bay Expressway toll road was
slightly higher than projected for the just-completed fiscal year, the San
Diego Association of Governments announced Monday.

Income for the toll road — an extension of state Route 125 that runs
through eastern Chula Vista between Spring Valley and Otay Mesa — was slightly
above the $21 million target for fiscal year 2013, according to SANDAG. The
area's regional planning agency, which owns the expressway, did not provide a
specific figure in its announcement.

Up more significantly was the more than 11.65 million trips taken on the
route, up 22 percent, and local trips just within Chula Vista, 50 percent
higher, SANDAG reported.

The number of FasTrak electronic toll transponders in use also increased.

SANDAG purchased the expressway from a private firm in 2011 and
implemented lower tolls one year ago.

“SANDAG took over an underperforming facility that was not serving the
needs of the community well,” said Jack Dale, the agency's chairman and a
member of the Santee City Council.

“In a short period of time, we've been able to turn South Bay
Expressway around and put it on firm financial footing,” Dale said.
“Residents and businesses are benefiting from lower tolls, and we are seeing
traffic from local Chula Vista streets shift to the toll road, providing
congestion relief to neighborhoods.”

Tolls currently range from 50 cents to $2.75 for customers with a
FasTrak account, and from $2 to $3.50 for cash and credit card users. The range
depends on the time of day and amount of traffic on the roadway.