Save Wildlife: No More Toll Roads
* The article “Highways Taking Toll on Wildlife” (Sept. 3) states 94 animals were killed on the Eastern toll road, and 28 more were killed on the other two toll roads in Orange County, for a total of 122 animals destroyed by the toll roads, and only 12 animals were lost on all of the other freeways and highways in Orange County during a designated time span.
Yet Lisa Telles, spokeswoman for the Transportation Corridor Agencies, has the audacity to proclaim, “We did extensive studying before the toll road was constructed. . . . We studied the [animal] movements to make sure there was a safe way for animals to be able to cross under the toll road so they could get to their food sources.”
This proves the worthlessness of studies by the Transportation Corridor Agencies. In their attempt to demonstrate the proposed toll road southern extension will not be an environmental disaster, they cite “studies” showing they can mitigate all of the identified problems.
Destruction of open space and consequent loss of wildlife by the toll roads are real problems that no number of “studies” can mitigate. The only solution is termination of plans for another toll road through the southern part of Orange County.
CALVIN HECHT
San Clemente
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