O.C. road takes its toll

Re “O.C. toll road hits dead end in D.C.,” Dec. 19, and “O.C.’s plans at a fork in the road,” Dec.22

It’s not often that the Bush administration does something to help the environment, but its rejection of the six-lane toll road through San Onofre State Park is a splendid exception.

I’ve camped several times at San Onofre. That experience would be ruined with a noisy, polluting highway nearby.

The toll road builders should accept that, this time, nature has won and the mistaken project is dead.

Bill Collins

Pacifica

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If one reads closely, you’ll notice that the secretary of Commerce recommends the “La Pata” alternative as viable.

For the uninitiated, that means State Route 241 would go through San Juan Capistrano, through Talega -- taking out about 100 homes in the process.

An alternative like this could only be considered viable to a bureaucrat holed up in his office 3,000 miles away in Washington.

We need traffic relief, but in this case, the cure would be worse than the disease.

Thanks to the Coastal Commission and the secretary of Commerce, we can join our surfer friends and stick our heads in the sand hoping that traffic congestion will magically disappear.

Beth Meyer

San Clemente

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What is it that the Transportation Corridor Agencies don’t understand about the word “no”? Or, like spoiled children, do they believe they can just stamp a foot and cry “my way or no way” until everyone else gives up?

Perhaps they should take a look at the results of the last decade of excess: too much development, too many retailers and an unprecedented economic slide. Roads bring development and congestion, they don’t relieve them.

This road, in the place that the TCA demands, is not needed.

The public has spoken. The state and federal governments have spoken. The answer to the toll road extension is no.

Sandi Cain

Laguna Beach