Toll Roads Still Facing a Bumpy Ride

* As a resident of Laguna Niguel who regularly takes the [San Joaquin Hills] toll road, I was very interested to read the story about the marketing program the Transportation Corridor Agencies is considering (April 12).

The projections for usage were overstated, so they raised the fee to $2.25 last year. Now they want to spend money on advertising. Does this mean another increase in case the desired additional traffic doesn’t materialize?

The advertising they currently are doing is so misleading that it’s no wonder more people don’t take the toll road.

For example, when one is driving south on the San Diego Freeway, the signs to the 73 read, “To San Diego via toll road.” San Diego? And northbound on Interstate 5 from San Juan Capistrano, the signs read, “To Long Beach via toll road.”

Maybe some tourist believing those signs should file a false advertising suit.

I’d like board members who plan to vote for new spending to publicly and in writing promise that if their plans fall short, they will pay the difference out of their own pockets rather than again raise rates.

If they want to consider a different plan, how about lowering the rates to attract more traffic? I suggest a $1 fee during off-peak hours during the week and 50 cents on Saturday and Sunday. I think that makes more sense than spending money to attract more usage.

MARK WILKINS

Laguna Niguel

* On my way home from vacation, I found myself facing Friday rush-hour traffic and took a detour onto Antonio Parkway to reach South County.

At times, ours was the only car on the road. Its path duplicates the proposed Foothill South toll road extension.

Why destroy wetlands and the home of seven endangered species when an existing road is able to alleviate traffic problems? There does not seem to be a valid need.

JULIA DEWEES

San Clemente

* It’s time we start planning for the future of Orange County and start setting aside adequate open space and nature reserves in the county’s remaining undeveloped areas.

In the past, the land developers have pretty much had their way when it came to determining land use in Orange County and Southern California. The urban sprawl of much of coastal Los Angeles and Orange Counties is the result.

If we do not plan the future land use of remaining open space areas of south Orange County wisely, we will lose much of the unique natural heritage that this area has been endowed with.

It is therefore important that the final link of the Foothill Transportation Corridor not be built through or by San Onofre State Park or other present or future land preserves such as the Mission Viejo Land Conservancy.

This road would impact severely this valuable natural area and encourage uncontrolled growth. The link of this freeway probably does not need to be built at all even if another route is chosen away from state parks or nature reserves.

If adequate areas are protected in south Orange County, there will not be the need to build an expensive toll road that will basically parallel Antonio Parkway and the planned La Pata Road.

State Sen. Tom Hayden’s proposed bill not to allow major roads to be built through state parks is a timely and prudent measure.

DAVID WOELFEL

Mission Viejo