Costa Mesa Rejects I-405 Plan

"SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES"
In an announcement issued just before noon today the City of Costa Mesa says it found "significant deficiencies" in the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 405 Freeway expansion, specifically with Alternative #3.  You can read the content of that release on the City web site, HERE.

OFFICIAL COMMENTS
The release includes a link to the entire, long, long list of comments presented to the OCTA from City officials and residents opposing Alternative #3, the scheme to switch the existing carpool lanes into High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes to generate revenue of this and other OCTA schemes - like paying down the debt on the 73 Toll Road, for example.


NINETY PLUS PAGES
Included in that list is an 11 page letter from contract City Attorney, Tom Duarte outlining the City's opposition to Alternative #3, Mayor Eric Bever's letter to OCTA Board Chairman Paul Glaab and the official resolution the City Council unanimously passed opposing Alternative #3 in June.
 

 AN INTERESTING FEW MONTHS AHEAD
A timetable of upcoming events is included in that announcement.  It's going to be very interesting fall as this issue works it's way through the alimentary canal of the bureaucracy.  It's my understanding that NO city along the route is in favor of Alternative #3, so we'll see what kind of political chops the members of the OCTA board have when they consider the plans and views before them.