COUNTYWIDE : Measure M Projects May Get Early Start

All freeway projects in the Measure M sales-tax program could be under way within 10 years if construction money can be borrowed now, county transportation officials said Monday.

“We can deliver all of the freeway projects in 10 years,” Lisa Mills, chief planner at the Orange County Transportation Commission, told commission members Monday.

A lot hinges on the state’s willingness to commit money for finishing the massive, $1.6-billion Santa Ana Freeway widening project, officials warned. But otherwise the reconstruction of several major freeway interchanges, the widening of the Riverside Freeway, and several other freeway improvements could be started in half the time originally forecast.

Measure M, the half-cent sales tax for traffic improvements approved by voters in November, will raise an estimated $3.1 billion over 20 years. But if officials can borrow now against future revenues, the freeway projects will be finished or under construction before the second 10 years’ worth of Measure M tax is even collected, Mills said.

She told OCTC members during a meeting at the County Hall of Administration that it’s advisable to fund the projects in a hurry because:

* Inflation will add millions of dollars to construction costs.

* State and federal laws are changing, making it more difficult to foresee which projects will run into regulatory problems in the future. For example, a new design is being required for the Santa Ana-San Diego freeway interchange, known as the El Toro Y, to allow for two car-pool lanes in each direction instead of one.

* State and federal matching funds are dwindling.

* Air-quality issues may prevent some projects from being undertaken in the future.

The biggest reason for accelerating the projects, said OCTC Chairman Dana W. Reed, is to “get them on the ground as soon as possible so that people can use them.”

But officials cautioned that much depends on the state’s willingness to commit money for the completion of the Santa Ana Freeway widening project, which is already under way between the El Toro Y and the Santa Ana-Costa Mesa freeway interchange.

Bruce Nestande, chairman of the California Transportation Commission, wrote a letter to Gov. Pete Wilson two weeks ago in which he predicted funding problems soon for many state transportation projects unless new revenues are found.

Also, Nestande complained that the state program to retrofit highways and bridges to make them earthquake-safe is costing twice the $500 million originally forecast.

Still, OCTC’s Mills said discussions with the state would continue in an effort to secure a commitment to finish widening the Santa Ana Freeway.

OCTC will decide whether to borrow more money to advance Measure M projects in a few weeks, after a key financial study is completed.

Meanwhile, commission members on Monday adopted a policy that prohibits the addition of new projects until all currently planned Measure M projects are funded. Some cities--notably Anaheim--have asked the commission staff to consider new freeway ramps and a bridge that would serve Disneyland’s expansion plans.

MEASURE M PROJECT SCHEDULE

Construction on all freeway projects funded by Measure M sales-tax money could start in the following years, county officials believe, if enough money can be borrowed now against future sales-tax revenue:

1991--Orange Freeway car-pool lanes (already started).

1992--Riverside Freeway car-pool lanes east of Orange Freeway.

1993--Santa Ana-San Diego freeway interchange (El Toro Y) reconstruction.

1994--Interstate 5 car-pool lanes south of El Toro Y.

1996--Santa Ana Freeway widening between Garden Grove Freeway and Riverside Freeway.

Addition of new mixed-flow (all traffic) lanes on Costa Mesa Freeway.

Widening of Riverside Freeway west of Orange Freeway.

1997--”Transitway connectors” (exclusive ramps for buses, car pools) at San Diego-Costa Mesa freeway interchange.

Transitway connectors at Orange-Riverside freeway interchange.

1999--Santa Ana Freeway widening north of Riverside Freeway.