Los Alamitos Against O.C. Plan for Transportation

City officials are opposing a move by the county to create its own transportation planning authority.

Currently, the Southern California Assn. of Governments oversees transportation planning in Orange County as well as Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and Imperial counties.

Under a proposal approved by the Board of Supervisors last month, the Orange County Transportation Authority would take over the local planning responsibility.

“Roads don’t stop at the county line,” Councilman Ron Bates said. “Air quality issues don’t stop at the county line. It makes more sense to have a larger organization that looks at coordinating planning on a regional basis.”

The federal government now gives transportation money to the Southern California Assn. of Governments, which in turn allocates it to the six counties.

But the county contends it would receive more funding if it created its own planning agency.

“We don’t think it’s in our best interest to be lumped in with five other counties,” said OCTA spokesman John Sandiford. “We often get overshadowed by Los Angeles. . . . Because of its immense size, we often fail to get our fair share.”

The county’s plan would require federal approval.