OCTA Board Votes to Use Taxpayer Funds to Bail Out Financially Troubled Toll Roads
Study Fails to Evaluate Alternatives to Toll Road Through State Park
Published on Oct 11, 2008 - 6:54:30 AM

By: Save San Onofre Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2008 - Calling the Orange County Transportation Authority's (OCTA) Major Investment Study (MIS) "flawed," representatives of the Save San Onofre Coalition voiced concerns about the OCTA's study that outlines Orange County transportation priorities for the next several decades. First, the MIS fails to consider Orange County's transportation future without the proposed Foothill-South extension, something that OCTA should consider in light of February's 8-2 California Coastal Commission decision against the Toll Road. Second, the study proposes to institute so-called "shadow tolls," which provide a taxpayer subsidy for the Transportation Corridor Agency's "privately funded" toll roads, despite repeated assurances from their staff and directors that the toll road would use no public funds.

The shadow toll concept lowers fares paid by toll road users and, to make up for the fare reduction, taxpayer funds subsidize each road user. Shadow tolls are controversial because they use public monies to increase ridership on private toll roads.

Prior to the meeting, the Save San Onofre Coalition released a five-minute video highlighting flaws in the OCTA's MIS. View the Coalition's analysis of MIS by clicking on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbtpnWr7C0U.

"We were assured by OCTA staff at Study Stakeholder meetings that the Major Investment Study would consider the future of Orange County's transportation system both with and without the TCA's proposed 241 Toll Road extension," stated Stefanie Sekich, Save Trestles Campaign Coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation. "The public has therefore been misled. In light of the California Coastal Commission's resounding rejection of the Toll Road, which would slice through San Onofre State Beach, the OCTA board should give thought to how the public can be served by alternatives to a road that will never be built. The OCTA vote today is a disservice to all Orange County residents."

"TCA board members have repeatedly claimed that its toll roads would be constructed and operated without public funds," stated Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation and member of the Save San Onofre Coalition. "Based on today's OCTA vote, we now know this claim is not accurate and it calls into question whether these local roads are financially viable. TCA has a lot of explaining to do."

About the Save San Onofre Coalition:

The Save San Onofre Coalition is a diverse coalition of individuals and groups that includes four former state parks commissioners, local, regional, state, and national environmental organizations, cities, counties, and elected officials statewide. For more information about the Save San Onofre Coalition, visit www.savesanonofre.com.

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