Casitas Springs Bypass Plan

Your article on the proposed Casitas Springs bypass hit a responsive chord. As a resident and 14-year property owner in Meiners Oaks, I’m against the bypass as it’s proposed. Do I hate the rush hour traffic through the communities on Route 33? Of course! Do I feel sorry for the residents of Casitas Springs? You bet! Does the bypass do the right thing? Absolutely not!

The traffic problems described are not unique to the Casitas Springs community. If a bypass is implemented, all we are doing is shifting the jam from one part of the valley entry path to another. Just what have we really accomplished, then, at incredible expense?

The real problem we must address is how does this fit into any long-range plan for the area? There is no question that what is proposed is both expensive as well as contentious in nature. If we go to the heavy effort of bypassing Casitas Springs, we should also look at the communities past the Springs and their own access needs.

What is really needed is a study and resulting plan that encompasses the needs of not only Casitas Springs but the current and future access requirements of the entire Ojai Valley and beyond. What should be studied is the desirability and feasibility of running, not a “Casitas Springs Bypass,” but a “Regional Ojai Valley Community Access Route” right on up through both routes 150 and 33. Offramps are needed to connect to each of the communities along the way. There are already some natural entry points. This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of such entry points.

Do we have to do it all at once? No! The initial route could be laid out to bypass Casitas Springs but allow for a continuation on up to Oak View, perhaps with a later succeeding connection to Santa Ana Road. The next phase could run up to a Route 150 crossing. A final leg might continue on to Route 33 itself. Structured in this manner, we could have a pay-as-you-go effort.

Whatever we do will be both a major effort and cost the public a large amount of money. It would be nice that we got the most bang for the buck.

One other thought: Would not the cost of just a Casitas Springs bypass alone provide enough money to buy out the entire Casitas Springs community and turn it into a park and thereby eliminate that area’s traffic congestion problem? Is, then, the bypass really the most cost-effective approach we can take?

ROD CURRIE

Meiners Oaks