TCA Putting Us on the Road to Ruin?

Re “Caltrans to Fix Drains on Tollway,” July 19:

The TCA [Orange County Transportation Corridor Agencies] touts the toll road as a private-sector solution to a private-sector problem. But how can this be?

Its ridership projections have been consistently overblown, it is hemorrhaging money and relies on publicly funded Caltrans for maintenance. In addition, the TCA has boondoggled the public by having Caltrans sign [non-competing] agreements to ensure the road’s success. The proposed Foothill South toll road represents an extension of this corporate welfare project--a project the TCA wished to unload on the public to benefit their true constituency: the developers.

The TCA, which sells itself to the public as a privately funded enterprise, ultimately relies on public subsidies and anti-competitive measures to survive. This is capitalism?

Roderick J. Urquidi

San Clemente

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Those of us who care about water quality are heartened that Caltrans will finally be fixing the faulty drains on the San Joaquin Hills toll road, but we must wonder why Caltrans isn’t holding the [TCA] more accountable, and why taxpayers must foot the bill to clean up this mess.

If chief executive [Walter D.] Kreutzen’s claims about giving Caltrans a state-of-the-art system are true, it is hard to believe that he would allow Caltrans to make such a huge error in the installation of these drain systems. Yet five years of irresponsible pollution have occurred while TCA earns money.

TCA will not take responsibility for the fact that the filter systems it built don’t work. Why should we expect any different outcome if TCA is allowed to build the Foothill South toll road, which will cross San Mateo Creek, one of the last unpolluted, free-flowing water sheds in Southern California?

It’s time to hold TCA accountable by saying no to more toll road construction.

Julia Dewees

San Clemente