East County : Developer-Financed Roads OKd by Board
The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved the county’s biggest road program, a developer-financed $235-million package to build new roads and improve existing routes in eastern Orange County.
According to Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, approval of the Foothill Circulation Phasing Plan represents “not a bailout for new development,” but a way to solve the crushing traffic problems in the area stretching from El Toro south to Mission Viejo, east of Interstate 5.
The program calls for developers to start building roads before they construct new housing, so large-scale developments will be phased in a portion at a time.
Eleven major developers own nearly all the land remaining to be developed in the 140-square-mile area.
The program will emphasize building, improving and completing roads that will offer motorists an alternative to the I-5 freeway. Vasquez, whose district includes the foothill area, said as part of the program he wants Bake Parkway and Alton Parkway to be extended as quickly as possible.
The supervisors approved a program on a 4-0 vote. Board Chairman Roger R. Stanton abstained.
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