CTC grants AB 194 toll authority for SR‑241/91 connector amid equity concerns

The California Transportation Commission voted to approve a tolling application under Assembly Bill 194 for a direct connector between State Route 241 and the SR‑91 express lanes, granting the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) the authority to use tolling on the new connector.

Ryan Chamberlain, chief executive officer of TCA, said the project would provide a direct median‑to‑median connection, reduce weaving across multiple lanes and yield modeled benefits including an average travel time savings of about 20 minutes for corridor users and a modeled reduction in connector queueing of up to 50% in some scenarios. Chamberlain described a "progressive demand management" approach that would use dynamic pricing, ramp metering and, if required, HOV or transit‑only operations to prevent degradation of SR‑91 express lane performance.

Public testimony and written comments were mixed. Anaheim councilmember and OCTA board member Carlos Leon supported the connector as a long‑planned solution to a persistent bottleneck. Multiple written commenters — commuter advocates, labor and community voices — raised class and equity concerns, asking whether toll lanes create a two‑tier system that benefits drivers who can pay. Commenters also questioned whether the project would meaningfully improve free‑lane conditions and asked for stronger accountability on safety and revenue use.

Commissioners and TCA staff acknowledged equity concerns but noted the application meets AB 194 eligibility criteria and that TCA and partner agencies have governance forums to consider corridor‑level equity programs. Chamberlain said there is currently "not an equity program built into the connector" but that governance structures could explore corridor‑wide equity investments and reinvestment of excess toll revenues in multimodal options.

After discussion, commissioners moved to approve the tolling authority; the motion passed (voice vote recorded as "Motion is approved"). The authorization extends to 2067 as part of the staff recommendation.

Next steps: with AB 194 authority granted, TCA and partner agencies will proceed with project delivery, pricing and operational plans and coordinate further with OCTA, RCTC and Caltrans on governance and potential equity strategies.