San Joaquin Hills Toll Road Wins OK of Federal Agency

Builders of the proposed San Joaquin Hills toll road announced Thursday that the highway had received final approval of the Federal Highway Administration.

“This is certainly a major milestone,” said Lisa Telles, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Corridor Agencies.

Telles said the toll road now needs the approval of only one more federal agency, the Army Corps of Engineers. That agency must give its blessing because the proposed road, which would run from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano, would cross some wetland areas. Telles said the Transportation Corridor Agencies fully expects to win the approval of the Corps of Engineers.

“We expect to begin construction before the end of the year,” she said.

But opponents of the toll road promised to put up more obstacles to construction.

“One thing they can be certain of is that we’ll take them to court,” said Norm Grossman, board member of Laguna Greenbelt. “We’re going to fight them every step of the way.”