Toll Agency Lets the Fareless Lead the Way

Truck driver Larry Hamilton knows the weekday horror of driving the Costa Mesa Freeway--the parking lot that passes for a roadway--so on Sunday he decided to check out the Eastern Toll Road, which promises to slash one hour off the daily commute between Riverside and Orange counties.

Hamilton, a Montclair resident, gave the tollway an enthusiastic endorsement.

“I like it and will probably use it more often. I don’t like driving on the 55. But until today, you didn’t have a choice if you wanted to go from the 91 [Riverside Freeway] to the I-5 [Santa Ana Freeway],” Hamilton said.

He was among the estimated 200,000 drivers who officials said took advantage of Sunday’s opening of Orange County’s newest tollway. In an effort to promote the new road, no fees will be collected through Oct. 25; fares will be as much as $3.25 for a single trip when the promotion ends.

Sunday’s inauguration occurred without a hitch, in gorgeous Southern California fall weather.

“You’d almost think that we ordered this beautiful weather just for today,” said Paul G. Glaab, spokesman for the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which constructed and operates the toll road.

Thousands of drivers streamed through the Windy Ridge toll plaza, some honking their horns and waving at Glaab and other tollway agency officials who watched from a parking lot above. The road was officially opened at 5 a.m., and Glaab said the first driver drove through from the Riverside Freeway minutes later.

The toll road, officially California Highway 241, also was turned over to Caltrans on Sunday. Caltrans will be responsible for maintaining the roadway, and the California Highway Patrol will enforce traffic laws.

Investors in the privately financed $765-million project will have about 30 years to recoup their investments. When all bonds issued to finance the tollway are repaid, the toll road will revert to a no-pay freeway.

Corona resident James Lozano, who works at a biotech firm in Irvine, said he will gladly pay the $32 per week it will cost him to use the tollway.

“I spend an extra 2 1/2 hours a day in my car because of the traffic. I’m willing to pay the extra money if it means I can leave my house later in the morning and arrive home earlier in the evening,” Lozano said.

Traffic officials say it currently takes an hour and 15 minutes to commute during rush hour from Corona to the Irvine Spectrum. Glaab said the new toll road will save about 30 minutes of commute time each way.

Overall, everything went pretty much as planned Sunday. However, some drivers had to cope with unexpected breakdowns.

Tow truck driver Art Perez said that by 11:30 a.m. seven cars had already suffered flat tires while driving on the toll road. Perez works for California Towing, which contracted with the tollway agency for towing services.