Waking Up to Enemy--Toll Road

Re Dana Parsons’ column, “Should Canyon’s Supporters Sleep With the Enemy?” (March 29): Dana Parsons is correct in summing up the message of Messrs. (Jack) Camp and (Dan) Sasso as a proposal to “sleep with the enemy.” After seeing the design concept of Camp and Sasso for the San Joaquin Hills toll road as it crosses Laguna Canyon Road and hearing how they believe the Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) and Laguna Beach City Council could possibly work with one another, I have many observations.

Camp’s and Sasso’s “sensitive design” as a remedy to the TCA’s “bad news” plan for the overpass is playing into the hands of the TCA, which could be using this as a political ploy to promote the idea that the growing public opposition is concerned with the visual impact when in fact opposition is concerned with the proposed destruction of one of Orange County’s last quality open spaces.

I find it very interesting that when Mr. Camp introduced this design concept to the TCA while he was a member of its advisory board last year, it was not seriously considered. So why is the design idea being resurrected now with the blessing of the TCA?

The TCA says it will entertain this new design for the Laguna Canyon overpass if the Laguna Beach City Council approves the concept and gives additional right of way, does not cause undo delays, and I am sure it means waiving a supplemental Environmental Impact Report.

Is it possible that the TCA is using this so-called “window of opportunity” to influence design as a diversionary tactic from the real issues, which are the growing public opposition to this toll road and a federal lawsuit? Is it because the TCA was denied Measure M funds and is looking for other methods to save money? Is it a ploy to have the appearance of support from the Laguna Beach City Council, even though the city is officially opposed to the toll road? Is it all of the above and maybe some more we don’t know about?

I believe this “window of opportunity” is strategic lip service, and the TCA will do what it wants anyway. I believe the people of Orange County are becoming more aware not only of the value of protecting our communal assets but are becoming more active in demanding that protection from elected officials and their appointees. The public realizes the toll road represents more ‘50s solutions to ‘90s problems, which means further degradation of our air quality.

The Toll Roads Awareness Day rally in Laguna Canyon on Feb. 29 drew more than 3,000 people. This is an indicator that the people of Orange County have only just begun to fight. The “window of opportunity” is a thinly disguised placebo.

LINDA ECKMANN

Laguna Beach