The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is taking decisive action to overhaul its embattled tolling system along the South Bay Expressway, bringing in consulting heavyweights Deloitte and A-to-Be to lead the revamp. This move comes after reports of malfunctioning software and financial mismanagement, which resulted in passengers incorrectly charged for their travels and agency money mishandled. In a recent meeting, SANDAG laid out a new "action plan" to set its tolling system straight, an initiative backed by San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “The San Diego region deserves transparent and accountable government. I am proud of the SANDAG Board for taking action today to ensure that all tolling issues are fully resolved and that customer concerns are addressed,” Vargas said in a statement obtained by SANDAG.
Despite the optimistic outlook presented by SANDAG officials, the choice to switch contractors has faced criticism, particularly because of the significant costs involved. The board's approval of the action plan includes a whopping $31.7 million investment, which aims to transition toll collection responsibilities by early 2024 fully. The previous handler of these responsibilities, ETAN Tolling Technology, and the overseeing consultant HNTB, will continue to be financially compensated to ensure a smooth handover. This arrangement provoked debate within the board, with toll system failures repaired costing taxpayers an additional $10 million in damages beyond the $12.7 million already pocketed by ETAN and HNTB, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune report.
Board members like Rebecca Jones, the San Marcos mayor, voiced her concerns over the ongoing expenses. "We are wasting taxpayer dollars, and we are not protecting citizens,” Jones stated, proposing that the agency move forward with the new contractors without paying ETAN or HNTB more money—a sentiment underscored by the sour aftertaste of the initial mismanagement. But SANDAG officials contested, stressing the necessity of involving ETAN due to their ownership of essential equipment and HNTB for their expertise during the transition.
The tolling system issue also revealed deeper matters of fairness and socioeconomic justice, with San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno stepping in to highlight the disproportionate impact on South County residents who "are forced to pay tolls to drive on their local highways." The anomaly of taxpayers being double-charged led Moreno to cast the sole opposing vote against the recommended action, and she advocated a cost-benefit analysis of removing the toll altogether, which was rebuffed by SANDAG, citing potential legal and financial ramifications. Nonetheless, the STREAM of discontent among South County residents reflects an undertone of unease as Del Mar Deputy Mayor Terry Gaasterland went as far as to call for a temporary suspension of tolls while a new system is being developed, an idea eventually shot down by the board.
The missteps have taken a toll on SANDAG's leadership, with last year's resignation of CEO Hasan Ikhrata amidst delayed reporting of system flaws to board members. Interim CEO Coleen Clementson has since pledged to keep the public informed during the system overhaul. Yet the shadow of past practices looms, with SANDAG currently embroiled in a lawsuit filed by former finance director Lauren Warrem and a legal claim by a motorist, claiming damages due to the flawed toll-collection system. These issues paint a stark picture of an agency at a crossroads, seeking to reconcile its troubled past with a forward-moving vision amid public scrutiny.
