Samuel Johnson, CEO of the Transportation Corridor Agencies, has been placed on leave from the toll road agencies after a vote by board members.

A TCA spokesman declined to provide further details on the circumstances surrounding Johnson’s leave, saying in an email, “it is TCA policy not to comment any further on personnel matters.”

“During his absence, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Valarie McFall will serve as the Acting TCA CEO to ensure that all TCA business continues uninterrupted,” spokesman Eugene Fields said.

Fields declined to say when Johnson was placed on leave or whether he will continue receiving his salary during the absence. The decision was approved by TCA’s boards of directors, Fields said.

Johnson could not be immediately reached for comment.

On the agenda for a Thursday morning, Sept. 8, closed session meeting was a “Public Employee Performance Evaluation” for the chief executive officer.

Johnson took the helm of the agency in 2020 after working as the chief toll operations officer for TCA, a position he took in 2015. The TCA operates the county’s toll roads, and is made up of two agencies – each with a board of directors – that oversee separate jurisdictions.

The San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency operates the 73 and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency oversees the 133, 241 and 261.

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