Week in Review : Car Pooling Seen on Rise on Costa Mesa Freeway : COUNTY

Controversial commuter lanes on the Costa Mesa (Route 55) Freeway promoted better traffic flow and more car-pooling during their first year, a Caltrans study said last week.

But an organization critical of the commuter lanes immediately disputed the claims made by the state Department of Transportation in its analysis of the commuter lanes.

“Absolutely, we dispute the success” of the commuter lanes,” said Joe Catron of Yorba Linda, chairman of Drivers for Highway Safety. The organization has consistently opposed the commuter lanes, which can be used only by buses and cars with two or more people.

Stan Oftelie, executive director of the Orange County Transportation Commission, had a more upbeat assessment. He compared the Caltrans report on the commuter lanes to Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson. “Like Eric Dickerson, there’s mixed statistics, some good and some bad, but also like Dickerson, overall it’s been a good year,” Oftelie said.