A Worthy Project Gets Off the Ground : Orange County tollway clears environmental hurdle and looks, finally, to be on track

Now that the gnatcatcher has been declared a non-issue by the federal government in last-minute wrangling over construction of the $1.1-billion San Joaquin Hills tollway, that project--the first of three quasi-public toll roads planned for Orange County--has virtually a green light.

Last week, the same federal agency that is due to rule within weeks on the endangered-species status of the gnatcatcher decided that the bird’s survival was not in question along the tollway’s 17.5-mile corridor.

That ruling by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ought to be a fairly conclusive environmental stamp of approval. And with the clearing of the concerns of involved agencies, the time has come to get on with the process.

Alas, the road will cut through some pristine land, a fact that is disturbing for many. Yet for its indisputable swath of environmental destruction, the long-promised road offers the heady promise of sorely needed jobs, growth and eased congestion in a key part of recession-racked Southern California.

In the annals of infrastructure, the “jobs versus environment” debate has been contentious, especially on this tollway. The road first was approved locally as a freeway by forward-thinking planners before much development had taken place in South Orange County. When congestion became unbearable in the late 1980s, the toll road concept became a way of building the project when it became clear that developer fees could handle only part of the cost.

In recent years, differences over environmental permits have been bitter. But now, especially in view of infrastructure being on the front burner nationally, here is an example of a public-private partnership that promises to help get things moving in an economically troubled and traffic-bound region of the country.

Yet resentments linger even as the road has cleared its last environmental hurdle. Its route across beautiful canyons near Laguna Beach grates on canyon lovers who regard the coastal hills as their own. And roadside signs expressing opposition have caught the attention of countless visitors who travel Laguna Canyon Road on their way to the coastline.

As the nation debates how best to focus scarce resources on improving its infrastructure, there may be other instances where it’s impossible to make everybody happy in the resolution of the jobs-versus-environment debate. But without new infrastructure--and better maintenance of existing roads--America, and this region, cannot remain competitive with other world economies. Perhaps with more creativity and goodwill, less contentious ways can be found to help get worthy transportation projects built.