Stop The I-405 Toll Lanes!
OCTA BOARD VOTES FRIDAY
Friday, November 8th, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) will consider the latest proposal to expand the I-405 FREEWAY into a transportation corridor that may eliminate the current High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane and replace it with two (2) High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes!
This scheme flies in the face of what has been previously determined to be the "locally preferred" option - adding one additional general use lane in each direction.
"HIGHWAY ROBBERY"
It is our understanding that if the OCTA Board DOES NOT approve the HOT option and proceeds with a different option, then the California Department of Transportation (CalTran) may take the roadway over and convert the lanes to HOT lanes and KEEP THE REVENUE for use throughout the state. This is unacceptable. At a recent Town Hall meeting on this subject Supervisor John Moorlach referred to this as "highway robbery".CORRIDOR CITIES OPPOSE THE SCHEME
ALL the cities along the proposed corridor from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County line officially oppose this new scheme for many reasons, starting with the severe economic impact it would have on our high sales tax generating entities - South Coast Plaza and the Harbor Boulevard of Cars in the case of Costa Mesa.DEMOLISHING THE FAIRVIEW BRIDGE!
The relatively new Fairview Bridge over the I-405 will have to be demolished and replaced with another bridge with wider spans to accommodate the new lanes - there would be three (3) new lanes each direction, total.
WRITE TO THE OCTA BOARD
The City of Costa Mesa has provided a page, HERE, that includes contact information for concerned residents to communicate with ALL the directors of the OCTA board. You can write to them individually or, as shown on that page, all at once by addressing your correspondence to the Clerk. There's a link for that.MANSOORS PETITION
In addition, Assemblyman Allan Mansoor has set up a petition site where signatories can also communicate their displeasure about this scheme. You can find that petition and an explanation about it HERE. Among the sponsoring officials for this petition are Costa Mesa's Mayor Jim Righeimer and Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger.
Take a few minutes and use the links provided to write to the OCTA Board and to sign Mansoor's petition. This scheme is a BAD idea for Costa Mesa and the adjoining cities and time's a'wastin'. They will vote on Friday.
Labels: Allan Mansoor, I-405, Jim Righeimer, OCTA, Steve Mensinger
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 11/04/2013 05:25:00 PM
5 Comments:
Sounds like a case of something where the only ones who want it are those who are voting - something we've been accustomed to around here already.
I don't really care about the Fairview bridge. Sometimes things need to be torn down and rebuilt and the planning doesn't always work out in the most intelligent fashion. You shouldn't hold up progress because of it.
What bothers me is the lack of outcry from the businesses that we are claiming will be impacted by toll lanes with no exit.
Where are the Segerstroms and other major retail property owners? Why isn't there a campaign headed up by the Harbor Blvd of cars. It makes me think they don't have a problem with it. In that case, all our whining is for naught.
Bruce, you make a good point. I'm told the Chamber of Commerce is fully against this proposal. Although it's dangerous to assume anything, one must assume that our elected leaders have had contact with those entities and that there is support for the opposition to the Toll lanes.
I don't disagree that we need to continue to find ways to move traffic in So. Cal. However, I sure don't want to see our city and the others along the corridor become like so many of those abandoned stores and gas stations we see on old highways that parallel current highways. There they sit, abandoned and in disrepair. I know, an extreme visual, but the economic impact of having a virtual "bypass" on our major highway is disconcerting. Ask your buddies if they've had contact with the Segerstroms, the car guys or the Conference and Visitors Bureau about it.
Thank you for the update about this important issue. As we all explore solutions to our freeway congestion it seems relevant to consider how we got to this dilemma. When you add up all the development, residential and commercial, in the affected communities it is no wonder we have heavy traffic on our freeways and surrounding roadways. I've noticed, after living here for many years, that projects get approved in our cities, sometimes with EIR that claim "no effect," yet rarely is there appropriate adjustment to the infrastructure. As more high density projects get approved in Costa Mesa, and others like Banning Ranch, we are all headed for this type of heavy traffic not just on the freeway but on the streets we use everyday.
bruce
Wouldnt SCP/car shopping typically be destination shopping trips and, therefore, be the least impacted by the toll lanes? BTW, have you asked them how they feel about it? Its rather silly to assume their position.
The kinds of businesses that would be most hurt are obviously the "ill pick it up on the way home" variety (target, grocery stores, fast food, gas stations, etc). Im rather puzzled as to why you cherry picked the worst two examples as a signal business would be AOK with it.
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