Raising Tolls Won’t Solve Roads’ Problems

* Re “Fares Jump in July for 1 Tollway,” June 9:

Because there are serious shortfalls in toll revenue is no excuse for the toll road people to issue what appear to be bogus “violations” and a scam attempt to increase income.

Within less than two months, I received three notices of toll due from the Toll Road Service Center. Each was answered with a request for administrative review.

In a letter attached to my last request, I again categorically denied that I, or my auto, was ever on the 241 toll road, as was alleged.

I am still waiting for the results of the administrative reviews and a response to my letter of April 24, which I requested.

HIROSHI KAMEI

Anaheim

* They don’t call it “venture capitalism” for nothing. Sometimes you make money, but sometimes you don’t.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, currently head of the San Joaquin Hills toll road board of directors, has forgotten how it works. He’s made the outrageous suggestion that the public undertake to pay back the bondholders for the unprofitable toll road by buying it.

Let me remind him that we, the public, are already paying for the maintenance of the road, through Caltrans, and policing, via the California Highway Patrol.

In addition, although the private bondholders put $1.1 billion into the construction, the toll road users (not I, however) are projected to pay back $5 billion in tolls over the 40 years of the bonds. Enough is enough.

“The financial model built for the San Joaquin Hills toll road was clearly not realistic,” Spitzer was quoted as saying in your June 9 story. If it’s not penciling out, it’s no surprise. You’d be hard pressed to find a recent toll road anywhere in the U.S. that is. One of the top Transportation Corridor Agencies staffers came from a toll road that was a financial failure in Colorado. Those of us who tried to point these facts out repeatedly before the road was built were ignored.

These are the same people trying to build yet another toll road, the Foothill South, through more environmentally sensitive habitat and San Onofre State Park.

So why should the public pick up the tab for the San Joaquin? This road was built to make a profit, actual need and the environment be damned. Now we say, investors be damned.

ELISABETH BROWN

Laguna Beach

President, Laguna Greenbelt Inc.

* Re “Toll Increase Right Road to Take?” June 11 editorial:

I want to commend you for your conclusion about the San Joaquin Hills toll increases.

As a member of the Surfrider Foundation, the Sierra Club and a resident of southernmost Orange County, I am quite concerned about the proposed extension of the Foothill South toll road.

Your editorial can help readers learn from history and ultimately help prevent the repetition of mistakes made with the San Joaquin.

There are many sound reasons for opposing the proposed extension. Thank you for reminding us that there are financial issues that are as important as our environmental concerns.

MAURA MIKULEC

Capistrano Beach

* So the geniuses running the tollway are doubling tolls to increase revenue. Just brilliant!

Gee, do you think tripling tolls would triple revenue? I think not. Raising tolls will reduce traffic, and revenue may increase incrementally. If they want more revenue, tolls should be reduced.

As to varying tolls at different times of the day “just like the telephone company,” they should check around a bit. Toll call plans are one rate, 24 hours a day.

If these guys need a high-paid consultant, please give them my number.

RAY UHLER

Tustin Ranch

* The toll agency needs a basic lesson in Economics 101: supply and demand. As prices increase, demand drops, resulting in decreased revenue. By increasing the tolls for relatively short distances, the ridership is sure to decline and the agency is going to fall even shorter of its projections.

What the agency needs to do is make use of the toll road more appealing to consumers by making it more convenient.

Completion of the planned interchange at Glenwood Drive would make using the San Joaquin much more attractive to the thousands of commuters who live in the immediate area, not to mention those who commute to major employers like Fluor Corp. and United Parcel Service, located adjacent to the interchange.

And hiring a “spokesman” like Michael Jordan is certainly not going to make me go out of my way to pay a toll!

BRUCE JUENGER

Aliso Viejo

* So the San Joaquin toll road folks are whining about lost revenue again. Too bad!

The environmental community in Laguna Beach told them this road was unfeasible, unnecessary and an environmental travesty.

Well, I like to think South County’s committed environmentalists finally can claim a victory, spurious though it is. We don’t drive this road, and we won’t drive this road, and our committed boycott shows in the numbers.

Those who want to put toll roads through other treasured open space, take note!

MARV and ANNE JOHNSON

Laguna Beach

* I cannot believe that Supervisor Todd Spitzer uttered the ridiculous statement that locals were forced to build the toll roads after the state abdicated its responsibility to build new roads.

I clearly recall massive community opposition to the idea. I think what he meant to say was that local developers were forced to build the toll roads to exploit every inch of open space in Orange County.

Let the toll roads go bankrupt.

ROBERT SOMERS

Newport Beach

* Two increases are enough! First the free transponders now cost me $2 each per month. Now my toll for the Newport Coast is doubling to $1. My account will be canceled June 30.

The net effect of these increases will be a decrease in revenue from the gouged and misled users of the toll road. The toll roads clearly don’t work. Any new toll roads or efforts to extend existing toll roads should be stopped.

Eventually the toll roads will need to be purchased by the state. If this is the case, investors should not profit from their failed experiment.

RICK SMITH

Laguna Beach

* Re “Ramp Fares for Tollway Would Rise Starting July,” May 27:

What lunacy is this, increasing rates to increase revenue in a “business” that is already underutilized and losing money?

I can afford the toll roads. But like many in my neighborhood, for the most part I am a “conscientious objector” because the rates are just plain exorbitant.

From southern Orange County, using the San Joaquin Hills corridor to reach Newport Beach or other areas is a $4.50 surcharge. How much time does that $4.50 save? Less than 10 minutes. That’s an hourly rate of nearly $30!

If I decide to visit Riverside midmorning and use the newest toll road, I’m saved approximately six miles and also less than 10 minutes. And the round-trip toll of the moment is now what, $7? Even more? This is not reality-based pricing.

An easy way to increase revenue and keep rates low on these roads would be to provide off-peak discounts of 50% or more to FasTrak transponder holders.

That way, when it’s noon and I want to go shopping or 10 p.m. and I’m coming back from Grandma’s, I might take the toll road to save five minutes.

PAT BUSICK SMITH

San Juan Capistrano