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LOCAL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS REQUEST SUPPORT FOR 241 TOLL ROAD
Eight Southern California members send letter to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to request override of Coastal Commission vote.
IRVINE, Calif. (June 3, 2008) – Eight Members of Congress who represent the communities most affected by the proposed route for the completion of the 241 Toll Road strongly endorsed the project in a recent letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez. The Members asked Gutierrez to give great weight to their tremendous concerns for local mobility, safety and quality of life in the Southern California neighborhoods most impacted by the increasing traffic in the region.
“We are very disappointed that the Coastal Commission failed to recognize the years of study that have gone into this roadway’s planning and design to protect the environment and valuable state park and coastal resources,” the letter stated. “We strongly urge you to override the decision of the California Coastal Commission to allow this beneficial and thoroughly studied project to be completed.”
The California Coastal Commission on February 6 voted against TCA’s Coastal Zone Management Act consistency certification. TCA is appealing to the U.S. Department of Commerce to override the decision. The signers urged the Secretary to reject false claims made by opponents of the roadway project and to recognize the infrastructure, public safety and security benefits of proceeding with the long-planned roadway project. The letter is signed by Reps. Gary Miller (CA 42nd), Ken Calvert (CA 44th), John Campbell (CA 48th), Ed Royce (CA 40th), Dana Rohrabacher (CA 46th), Darrell Issa (CA 49th), Duncan Hunter (CA 52nd), and Elton Gallegly (24th).
The 16-mile alignment was selected after exhaustive study and a collaborative effort by local, state and federal agencies. The collaborative process resulted in the identification of the Green Alignment that best relieves traffic on Interstate 5 and minimizes impacts on the human and natural environment and that is compatible with the mission of Camp Pendleton.
ABOUT TCA
More than 300,000 trips are taken on The Toll Roads every weekday. The Toll Roads are operated by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, two joint powers authorities formed by the California state legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct, and operate Orange County's 67-mile public toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including the 15-mile San Joaquin Hills (SR-73) Toll Road from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano; and the 36-mile Foothill/Eastern Toll Road system (SR-241, SR- 261, SR-133) from the 91 Freeway to south Orange County. More info: www.thetollroads.com.
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