Orange County may be working to get streetcars and better train service, but it's also doubling down on mid-century planning by expanding its freeways, including the dreaded 405. The OC Register reports that the Orange County Transportation Authority board has approved a $1.3 billion plan to add a lane on each side of the 405, from Euclid Avenue to the 605. The board members at the same time voted down an idea to turn carpool lanes into toll lanes--a plan that would have brought in billions for the OC (it'd probably be similar to LA County's forthcoming ExpressLanes pilot program, which will charge single drivers to use a high-occupancy vehicle lane). Here's why not: "The board could not gather the votes in favor of the toll system because too many questions remained regarding how the anticipated toll revenue--about $1.5 billion generated over 20 years--would be used." Wow. To make the decision look even worse, the toll lanes would cut northbound travel times during afternoon rush hour by half.
· Transit agency rejects toll lanes for I-405 [OC Register]
Filed under:
Loading comments...