Mayor Steve Jones to head OCTA board

Garden Grove Mayor Steven R. Jones was unanimously selected Monday as the new chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors, which guides transportation-improvement projects and public transit for all of Orange County.

Jones served as the OCTA board’s vice chairman for the last year. He replaces outgoing Chairman Tim Shaw, also a City Councilman from La Habra, who remains on the board representing Orange County’s Fourth District.

“OCTA’s mission to keep Orange County moving is vital to the quality of life here in our county and it’s a true honor to be chosen by my colleagues to help deliver a balanced and sustainable transportation system,” Jones said. “We are underway on several major transportation improvements, including on I-405 and, in my backyard, I’m excited to see progress on building the OC Streetcar. I’m eager to work with my colleagues and with the public to ensure these important projects efficiently move forward.”

On Tuesday, the Garden Grove City Council will take up a resolution urging the OCTA to proceed with plans to potentially extend the OC Streetcar – now under construction to link Santa Ana and Garden Grove – up Harbor Boulevard into Anaheim.

Jones began serving on the Garden Grove City Council in 2007, and in 2016 was elected mayor. He has been on the OCTA board representing the county’s First District since 2013.

He has held various leadership roles, including this last year serving on OCTA’s Transit and Finance & Administration committees.

The OCTA board is composed of 18 members including the five county supervisors, two members from city councils in each of the five supervisorial districts, two public members and the Caltrans District Director serves in a non-voting ex-officio capacity.