Toll Roads

* I have been reading the recent articles about the toll roads and how they are supposed to solve California’s transportation problem when our population increases by a projected 15 million people in the next two decades. The non-compete provisions where the public sector agrees to restrict road development will serve only to exacerbate the problem.

Maybe the toll road bond-holders will be sure to make more money, but our quality of life in Orange County will suffer without the ability to build adequate free transportation routes to accommodate our rapid population growth.

I have seen the proposed rail system, providing quick transportation with less pollution, and support it as the most viable solution to our imminent traffic crisis.

BRENDA BOLANOS

Irvine

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* Transportation Corridor Agencies toll road users should watch out. Their bill this month might include a charge for “monthly transponder fee.” In July 1999, the toll road operators advised that they would be charging a monthly $1 maintenance fee per transponder.

We have three transponders in our house; that’s another $36 the toll road will get from us per year. What a rip-off.

RICHARD SCHNYDER

Laguna Beach

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* Costs for building the Foothill South are rising quickly from an estimated $644 million to $900 million, for a road which still hasn’t been proved necessary. Yet TCA has already spent $49 million for planning.

Design work continues, yet TCA has stated that it’s unsure about the route. Truth is neither alignment is acceptable: Both will generate more traffic and sprawl. More houses, more roads, more run-off means a lot of contamination coming down San Mateo Creek, doing away with the steelhead trout and bringing closures to San Clemente beaches as it has to other beaches along the county coast. County transportation and federal officials are working to determine which alignments should be considered, but are they also considering the “no build” option as is required? If not, why not stop it before it is too late.

JULIA DEWEES

San Clemente