It's much more than a mouse my friend and you know it. I'm sorry your farce of a road taxpayer scam fell through.

"I firmly believe one of the greatest legacies we can leave to future generations is the heritage of our land. This expanse of acreage, San Onofre Bluffs State Beach, now has it's future guaranteed as an official state park."

-Governor Ronald Reagan, in establishing the State Park at San Onofre, April 3, 1971

This is great news. Maybe now TCA should start focusing on a light rail project. The $1billion that it would have taken to build this useless road can now go towards a better solution for all of us.

Sorry Jubal that you won't be able to drive your Hummer 90 mph down the tollroad so you can get to San Diego first. Me first. Me first.

I hope the navy turns the park into a bombing range, when the lease runs out.

Anonymous... I hope your visiting the park when they do!!!! You are a backwards thinker. As a registered Republican... that's right I am a registered Republican, I am ashamed that you and many other Republicans think this way. It's about creating a new economy that strives to be more efficient, cleaner, and healthy for all of us. Putting money toward these new technologies, like high speed rail, mass transit, renewable energy is a step in the right direction. It's not 1950 anymore!!

Hat-tip for the speediness of your post, Matt. One question though - my time-stamp over on the Weekly's blog also reads 11:21. So who gets credit for breaking the story in the blogosphere?

(This is more of an etiquette question than a toll road question.)

Sanity is alive and kicking.

I listened to most of the hearing yesterday live over the web from NC - quite a rehash of all the old arguments both for and against. FOR: traffic relief / improved mobility, alternate safety route, no imminent domain of structures along the 5, creation of jobs, and coastal access. AGAINST: water quality, ESA / habitat protection, preservation of unique surf spot, affordable recreation, sets a bad precedent for development in parks, and RMVLC. I probably missed a few. In any event, the density of humanity along the west coast is going to continue to grow, but the solutions of mobility do not need to sacrifice our protected open areas – no matter how worthy or vital the project. These park areas should be treated as BLACK HOLES and never even be considered as a solution, alternative, short cut, or remedy for any type of project (unless integral to the park). We should never treat our parks as temporary hold spots until needed for development. There are many intelligent folks in the OC – this decision will hopefully force the region to come up with a more enlightened approach to moving people around in a highly urbanized environment (PRT grid). Carving a route through the entire length or two major protected areas is no longer a viable option. Planners should have started years ago, knowing full well resistance to development would increase as the open areas dwindle.

For the 241 opponents claims of being scientific and factual, in the end their side comes down to an emotional mindburp "Its a park!" and were unable to articulate anything intellectual beyond that.

It's scary that mob and their zealot friends on the Commission have any power at all.

Toll roads are how they do things in Mexico.

And they are actually building and improving their infrastructure in Mexico, because they don't have to deal with self-centered affluent white people who, now that they have theirs, can afford to be environmentalists.

Don't worry, TCA is going to appeal the decision. The road will be built.

Left wing crackpots. Liars. And only Republicans have common sense. Face it Matt; conservatives in California have a small slice of the pie at best. Might I suggest a move to Wyoming or New Hampshire. Californians care about the environment. And what's wrong with a light rail system or better mass transit?

Coastal Commissars Vote 8-2 Against 241 Completion...
"Commissars"... looks like the TCA needs to back to the fifth grade. Or maybe they were drunk on the TCA purple "Kool-aid"... Military bombing the camp ground?... Sounds like you need another tour in Iraq! Sux2BU!

How appropriate that San Onofre state park was saved from this taxpayer scam toll road on Ronald Reagan Day.

I'm glad that the Red County Blog supports further turning southern California into Mexico. Have checked the ID of your maid, nanny and gardener lately OC?

Maybe next time you build sprawl into the backcountry you should plan the roads out ahead of time, roads that don't charge an admission.

Left-wing crackpots. Liars. And such words aren't immature, Jubal? Weak, just weak.

And they are actually building and improving their infrastructure in Mexico, because they don't have to deal with self-centered affluent white people who, now that they have theirs, can afford to be environmentalists.

Something tells me the Mexican government's use of emminent domain in building those roads would be opposed by the same conservatives trumpeting this idea.

HURRAH for the 8-2 vote !
For ONCE humans did the Right thing for our Future generations !
Too bad we failed to stop the Laguna Toll Road, The building of the Ritz Carlton, and the Development of the Dana point headlands, Not to mention the RAPE of the ocean when they built the Dana Point Harbor !
Imagine how pristine, historical, and beautiful our homeland would be, without the "improvements" I just mentioned !
This time they got it right !
Don't think for one minute they are going away that easy !
Remember the El Toro Airport Morons who denied public outcry ?
It took YEARS to stop the El Toro Aiport !
It will take years to STOP the 241 Toll Road !
STOP THE 241 TOLL ROAD FOREVER !
No More Houses !
No More Roads !
Build the Disney Monorail system down the middle of the freeway from San Diego to the Oregon Border and ALL POINT IN BETWEEN !

Interestingly, of the 30 or so elected officials who spoke, all but one or two were in favor of the completion of the road.

Pat Bates even made it a centerpiece of her campaign against Cassie DeYoung, and she won handily. Those who were actually working yesterday and didn't go to the meeting voted our leaders in to represent our point of view that we need traffic relief, and we think its a better idea to go around homes rather than through them.

Yes, the surfers, nutjobs, treehuggers and unemployed were out en force at the rally, but they are simply a vocal minority.

Alex Brant-Zawadzki,

I got both of you beat by 1 minute.

http://www.theorangejuice.com/2008/02/tollroad-extension-denied.html

It went up a whole 60 seconds earlier.......

Kudo's to both of you for being on top of the story.

Gustavo:

No, they're accurate.

Immature would be calling the Commissars names taken from big, stupid, overweight, diaper-wearing cartoon characters.

JP:

Nice to see the anti-Mexican component of the anti-241 movement finally coming out in the open. Got to save Trestles for the white kids, huh?

Maybe that's why an anti-tollroad rally looks like an Aryan youth rally.

My point to your point on Navel Gazing stands. Pot, kettle!

Californians care about the environment. And what's wrong with a light rail system or better mass transit?

Dan C. is such a flack. Yeah, Californians care about the environment, this Republican included.

But to the vast majority of Californians, caring about the environment isn't the same thing as wanting progress to grind to a halt for the sake of a tiny rodent, which is the mindset of the environmental leadership.

And maybe Dan can tell us where he'll get the tens of billions for a light rail system that would even make a small dent in traffic congestion.

On second thought, let's not bother Dan with having to think.

hmm, twisting my point that all OC Reds are racist to make me seem racist. Crafty.

"Maybe that's why an anti-tollroad rally looks like an Aryan youth rally"

Too funny, it smells like a hippie rally too. Ive witnessed firsthand.

And Dan....we tried to implement light rail but it failed. Know why? Ask those at the hearing, they are the same shortsighted bunch that opposed that project as well. Plus, the only way light rail can happen is with some serious investment from the State and Feds and they already said no. in fact, they didnt even care to listen to the idea. I know...i was in those meetings in DC, i heard the message from the horses mouth. Our delegation could of cared less about light rail, because they knew it wouldnt work here in OC. Get a clue and join us in reality land.

I hear the TCA is appealing to the Commerce Secretary. Any truth to that rumor?

And when the 5 freeway is gridlocked, and the 91 is worse than it is now, will the NAFTA kick in then due to the disruption of International Commerce? What happens if that is the case?

truth be told, the road will be built. it will happen. not today obviously, and not soon, but it will happen. See...a lot of those looney lefties that oppose everything have kids, who probably will or already have had kids, and they will have kids. and when they all cant get south due to the interstate 5 parking lot, they will look back and think...wow, my grandparents sure screwed up on this one didnt they?

JP:

"Twisting my point"??!?!?!?

You're the one who keeps saying building the toll road will turn OC into Mexico, buddy. You want to find a racist, don't look at me. Take a look at your own comments.

The majority of the toll road protesters were rich white people from San Clemente. It's not my fault the OC is full of whiteys.

It's not my fault the OC is full of whiteys.

This coming from the guy from rich, ultra-white Leucadia!

Maybe you should actually visit OC once in a while. It's very ethnically diverse. But we don't want you to venture out of your white enclave if it makes you uncomfortable.

JB said:
Don't worry, TCA is going to appeal the decision. The road will be built.

Yeah, right after EL Toro Airport.

There were a number of us "Republicans" there against the 241. The TCA had their employees and the contruction laborers voicing for a job. All paid to be there! Many, many of us took the day off from work - unpaid - but yes we were dressed quite casually so I guess you want to classify us all as unemployed with nothing better to do.

OK.
Here's the solution.
Double deck the I-5 as a toll road!
Every one is happy, right?
Doubt it.