Transit Options Need Scrutiny

Even though crime has replaced traffic as the No. 1 concern of Orange County residents polled in recent years, the problem of too many cars on streets and freeways remains high on the list of causes of aggravation.

As we have noted, the recent opening of the carpool connectors at the Santa Ana and Costa Mesa freeways and at the Santa Ana and Orange freeways has made for smoother, faster travel.

The interchanges are located in what the Orange County Transportation Authority calls “the corridor,” territory stretching from Fullerton south to Irvine. The area is home to a third of the county’s residents and half its jobs.

OCTA started studying how to improve travel in the corridor two years ago. After coming up with six possible alternatives, it held a series of public meetings, ending last month.

Turnout was disappointing, generally two dozen or so people. That’s less than half the average attendance at hearings last year on the earlier phase of the study. OCTA officials said some who might have attended the current round of explanations were diverted by vacations and graduations.

Those sorts of scheduling conflicts should be kept in mind the next time public hearings are scheduled. These projects, costing billions of dollars, are vitally important to Orange County, playing a large part in everyone’s lifestyle. The public needs to be involved, to have its say.

Officials said a key concern of those who did attend last month’s hearings was cost. For instance, one possibility for improving traffic would be to extend the Orange Freeway south along the Santa Ana River to the San Diego Freeway and add carpool lanes along the Corona del Mar Freeway. But the price tag is big: $2 billion. A slightly less expensive alternative, at $1.7 billion, would be a rail line next to the MetroLink train right of way from Fullerton to Irvine. OCTA officials noted that rail travel is “unproven” in Orange County. But train commuters to Los Angeles generally have been enthusiastic.

County transportation planners made a good decision to seek public comment on their plans and have not relied just on the public hearings on the six alternatives. They have also been speaking to homeowners associations and community groups. There will be more public discussion as the alternatives are refined in the months ahead.

The choices will affect all of us, as will the cost, whether it is financed through Measure M sales tax money, federal taxes or bonds. But the important thing is that the public be informed. OCTA also wisely established a Web page, allowing those wanting information and a survey to contact the agency. Address: https://www.octa.co.orange.ca.us