LAGUNA NIGUEL : Agency Stands Pat on Tollway Plans
Despite concerns expressed by residents and merchants over the proposed routes of the planned San Joaquin Hills tollway, the agency planning the new highway on Thursday rejected an appeal to reopen the comment period for an environmental review of the road.
Laguna Niguel officials also are worried about the two alternatives being weighed for an elevated transition road that will link the tollway to the San Diego Freeway.
Under one proposal, the curving stretch of highway would be built near a cluster of condominiums, well within earshot of the residents.
The second proposal calls for the road to swing farther from the condos, but it would uproot 16 businesses near Interstate 5. Eight other merchants would lose parking space or other property to make way for the elevated transition road.
Officials with the tollway agency, which is made up of representatives from the county and cities along the route, said that even though the formal comment period has ended, concerned residents and merchants would have plenty of time to register their views in the coming weeks before the board makes a final decision on the environmental review in February.
Moreover, they noted that the agency had mailed out 4,600 notices about the environmental review to local merchants and residents.
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