241 Toll Road: State Fish & Game Greenlights 241 Completion
Posted by: Jubal | 05/09/2008 4:22 PM
After the virtual media blackout on the US Fish & Wildlife's announcement last week that completing the 241 won't threaten endangered species, I wonder if they'll be any media coverage as a similar announcement from the California Department of Fish & Game:
State Fish & Game Provides Permit for 241 Toll Road
On the heels of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) announcement that completing the 241 would not harm any endangered or threatended animals, the California Department of Fish & Game today issued its state permit to allow the traffic relief project to proceed. This is the third and final wildlife approval the project needs.
Last year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its determination that the project would not adversely affect the steelhead trout. And earlier this week USFWS confirmed that completing the 241 would comply with the Endangered Species Act and would not harm the habitat of the Pacific Pocket Mouse, the Fairy Shrimp, or any other endangered or threatened species. Today the State Department of Fish & Game issued a Streambed Alteration Agreement that requires 63 measures the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) must implement to protect fish and wildlife during the construction and operation of the roadway.
The Secretary of Commerce will weigh the opinion of the Coastal Commission, which says these animals will be threatened, with the opinions of U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the California Department of Fish & Game and NOAA, all of which say they won't be. Interestingly, USFWS has the specific task of protecting endangered species, whereas endangered species are not mentioned anywhere in the Coastal Commission's mission. It also makes Coastal Commissioner Sara Wan look pretty silly since she seemed to base her opposition to the project primarily on her concern for the protection of the Pacific Pocket Mouse.
Obtaining its permit from Fish & Game puts TCA one step closer to completing the 241 and provides the Secretary of Commerce yet another reason to overturn the Coastal Commission's ruling.
CATEGORY:
241 Tollroad
"Dear Taxpayers, please support the 241 toll road extension. It won't help most of you at all, unless you sell your home and move to Coto de Caza or purchase one of the new houses built along the extension in the next 10-25 years. And in the meantime, you can pay us $5-10 each way every time you use the extension, and you can spend more money on gas and add more miles to the car you're leasing."
That's one thing you don't hear about: exactly how many more miles it is from Christianitos Rd. to, say, the Tustin Marketplace using the proposed toll road extension versus the same trip using I-5, and what that equals in terms of incremental fuel cost on top of the toll itself.
GOOGLE MAPS SAYS:
Basilone Rd. to Tustin MarketPlace using I-5 = 27 MILES
Current Hwy 241 end at Oso Pkwy to Tustin MarketPlace
using current 241 toll road = 17 mi. PLUS proposed
16-mi. toll road extension to Basilone Rd. = 33 MILES
In addition to paying $25-50 more in tolls each week to use the proposed 16-mile extension (the current usable 17 miles already costs you $20-40 weekly in tolls), you will pay another $10 a week in fuel to take that route versus I-5. On average, that's roughly $110/month to avoid Interstate 5. WHAT A DEAL.
I'm a fiscal conservative and I say HELL NO to the proposed toll road. Let's get a mass transit system along I-5 and get civilized. We're the only major US metropolitan area without a rail system. What a joke.
Well gosh, if it isn't a cheaper way from San Clemente to the Tustin Marketplace -- then of course we can't build it!
It's all about getting from the pier to Macaroni Grill on the least amount of fuel!
Kennybob:
So when will the Fairy Mass Transit Godmother come along, wave her magic wand, sing "bippety-boppety-boo" and turn the I-5 center media into a light rail system?
"It's all about getting from the pier to Macaroni Grill on the least amount of fuel!" Well that's pretty much what the TCA is touting it as.
They also fail to mention that new homeowners throughout South County have been paying the TCA in the form of Developer fees, and the TCA is currently applying for a federal loan to fend off the debt collectors... whatever happened to "no taxes used to build this road"???