Countywide : Cheers, Jeers Greet Toll Road Addition

A new section of the Foothill Transportation Corridor opened Friday to jeers from detractors but cheers from local residents who are counting on it to shorten their daily drives to work.

The 4.3-mile segment, from Portola Parkway south to Antonio Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita, extends the portion of the toll road that opened in October. The two sections together cover 7 1/2 miles, with two lanes in each direction and on-ramps and exits at Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and Coto de Caza.

More than a dozen protesters demonstrated at the morning ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by Anthony R. Moiso, president of Santa Margarita Co.; and county Supervisors Gaddi H. Vasquez and Marian Bergeson.

“What we’re mainly protesting is our loss of control . . . over the big-money interest groups,” said Maxwell Brown of Laguna Beach, who was among the demonstrators.

“Right now, the people who live in Rancho Santa Margarita have beautiful views of the mountains, the rolling hills, the last untouched wilderness areas of Orange County,” Brown said. “They don’t realize it, but all of that is being slated for development.”

But commuters such as Chris Egger of Fullerton, who works in Laguna Beach, said the new road will alleviate congested traffic at the El Toro Y, where the San Diego and Santa Ana freeways meet.

“Nothing’s worse than the El Toro Y at rush hour,” Egger said. “Believe me, I’ve sat in it.”

The toll for the full 7 1/2 miles is $1 each way. Commuters traveling only portions of the road pay from 25 to 75 cents, depending on where they exit. At its completion, the corridor will span 30 miles, from Irvine to San Clemente.