Five years after the Transit Corridor Authority failed in its attempt to win approval to connect it's 241 Toll Road from the 91 Freeway in the Anaheim Hills to the Interstate 5 just south of San Clemente, the Orange County agency is back at it, announcing its intent to restart the project but with a different building schedule. Denied the ability to build the 15+ mile stretch in one go, the TCA has announced its intent to build a 4-mile segment of the 241, extending it toward its eventual goal of meeting up with I5.
Opponents of the 241, environmentalists and an engaged Southern Orange County surf community, defeated the TCA the first time on grounds that the final stretch of the 241 could negatively impact both the pristine nature of the northern sliver of Camp Pendleton the toll road would travel through as well as the waves at the legendary surf spot Trestles, which are fed by sediment that flows to the coast and could be impacted by the proposed design of the 241-5 connector. We're now in the period of public hearing and comment on the project, and organizations like the Surfrider Foundation are trying to muster opponents of the Toll Road to attend the Water Quality Control Board meeting tomorrow to voice their opinions.
Do you think the TCA should be allowed to build their 4-mile segment, which could help traffic congestion? Or is the TCA just trying to force their toll road through regardless of the opinions of the community?
Guests:
Paul Bopp, 241 Tesoro Extension Engineering Manager, Transit Corridor Authority
Joel Reynolds, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council