Takeover of Private Tollway Under Study

Under mounting pressure from commuters to unclog the swamped Riverside Freeway, government officials in Riverside County disclosed Monday that they are considering taking over the privately owned 91 Express Lanes.

The 91 Express Lanes--the only operating private toll road in California--have been roundly criticized in Riverside, where commuters and politicians see them as a roadblock to improving snarled freeway conditions for Orange County and Los Angeles-bound drivers.

Transportation officials in Orange County, who had recently warmed to the idea of helping Riverside find a solution to the jammed freeway that the two counties share, recoiled Monday after hearing that Riverside may use the power of eminent domain to take over the lanes with a forced government purchase.

News of a possible condemnation--the first step in the eminent domain acquisition of private property--angered members of the Orange County Transportation Authority.

The notion of buying the toll lanes is not new, and Orange County transit officials had shown growing interest in seeking an appraisal to determine how much the lanes are worth. But on Monday, they said they would have no part of the appraisal if an eminent domain takeover is the goal.

Transit board member and Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson said government funding of an appraisal was “dollars down the drain,” and Chairwoman Laurann Cook said she was opposed to a government seizure of the tollway.

“I’ve got some serious problems with condemnation,” Cook said. “I don’t want public funds going toward that.”

The exchange occurred during a meeting of Riverside and Orange counties’ transportation officials and the owners of the toll lanes. The gathering was intended to work out a possible solution to daily gridlock, but instead it underscored just how far apart the two counties stand on the issue.

Riverside County’s call for the forced purchase of the tollway also confirmed the worst fears of the toll operation’s owner, the California Private Transportation Co.

“We’ve always suspected that this was their primary motivation,” said Greg Hulsizer, the tollway’s general manager.

For years, the Riverside Freeway has been the main transportation artery to and from Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles counties. More than a quarter-million vehicle trips are made along the route each day, and traffic analysts say commuting times will double in the next two decades, bringing motorists to an ever-slower crawl.

Riverside politicians in particular are feeling the heat from commuters, most of whom live in their county and commute to work in Orange County or Los Angeles County.

Riverside County supervisors blame the tollway for gridlock, insisting that a franchise agreement with the Express Lanes actually prevents improvements to the Riverside Freeway because they might reduce the number of motorists using the special lanes, and thereby cut profits.

Daily Grind

Average daily trips along the Riverside Freeway are expected to double by 2020, significantly increasing congestion along parts of the route. Shown is the projected morning “rush hour” span.

Source: Orange County Transportation Authority