Measure M Foes Claim Car-Pool Cover-Up

Caltrans and the Orange County Transportation Commission are “covering up” the fact that Orange County car-pool lanes are not attracting more drivers, opponents of Measure M--a proposed half-cent sales tax for transportation--alleged Wednesday.

With only days left before voters decide the fate of the ballot measure on Nov. 7, Lester Berriman of Drivers for Highway Safety called a news conference to renew charges that the car-pool lanes are a failure and to urge voters to reject the half-cent sales tax plan.

“Several reports show that the occupancy ratio on the (Costa Mesa) freeway has not changed significantly since before the (car-pool) lane was added,” Berriman declared.

He contended that officials of both the state Department of Transportation and the Transportation Commission are aware of the reports, which show that there has not been a significant increase in the percentage of drivers using the car-pool lane.

He accused them of trying to hide that information from the public so as not to jeopardize support for Measure M, which would raise $3 billion for transportation improvements over a 20-year period.

Walt Hagen, Caltrans’ chief deputy district director for project management in Orange County, denied the charges by Drivers for Highway Safety.

“We’re certainly not covering up anything,” Hagen said. “We’re laying out all the facts.” The car-pool lanes “are running very close to capacity during the peak period on the (Costa Mesa Freeway). . . . The number of car pools is increasing dramatically.”

Berriman and other representatives of Drivers for Highway Safety have said that adding regular lanes to existing freeways, and building new freeways, are better solutions to Orange County’s traffic problems than car-pool lanes.