Riverside County stiffed on transportation money

Last week, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) presented its recommendations of projects to be funded as part of a $20 billion transportation bond overwhelmingly passed by voters last fall. Prop 1B -- along with its companion measure, Prop 1A -- was part of Gov. Schwarzenegger's aggressive "Rebuild California" platform that included 5 statewide measures, all of which passed.

Of the first $2.8 billion worth of Prop B's "Corridor Mobility Improvement Account" projects recommended by the CTC, Riverside County saw only 1 of 7 projects approved for a whopping $38.6 million dollars -- or a measly 1.4% of the state total. Not 14%, mind you, but one-point-four percent. For the state's 5th most-populous (2 million residents) and fastest-growing county (446k new residents since 2000), this is simply unacceptable.

Although we do agree the state needs to continue to expand HOV lanes and, to a lesser extent, HOT lanes, we cannot fathom how neighboring Orange County managed to receive approval of $200 million for 2 HOV projects alone. Yet, these are not typical HOV lane additions, but in fact are freeway-to-freeway carpool connectors (I-405/I-605 and I-405/22), which have minimal effect in addressing actual freeway congestion, let alone capacity.

Orange County also received another $70 million -- for a grand total of $270 million, or nearly 10% of the first round total -- for 2 other freeway projects. Admittedly, one of these projects -- a single, 4-mile lane addition for eastbound 91 Freeway between highways 241 and 71 -- is partly shared with Riverside County. However, this "band-aid" project simply continues the on-going hoodwinking by both state and Orange County officials with regards to this particular corridor (one of the most congested in Southern California).

Thus, for the second time in 15 years, Riverside County and Inland commuters have been stung by HOV/HOT projects in Orange County. The first incident occurred in the early 1990s when the state allowed Orange County to "sell off" 10-miles of the 91 Freeway's median in the Santa Ana Canyon to a private company. The result was the nation's first "congestion pricing" toll lanes -- and a no-compete clause restraining Orange County from adding capacity to the existing "free" lanes.

(As a side note, the Orange County Transportation Agency now owns the lanes and the no-compete clause has been rescinded. However, since their Dec. 1995 opening, the highest one-way toll for the 10-mile trip has steadily risen from $2.50 to $9.75 -- more than living up to their "Lexus Lanes" moniker.)

Having sold off the median and no longer needing to fund expansion of the 91 Freeway in the canyon corridor, Orange County was better able to allocate transportation dollars elsewhere (namely, the I-5 expansion through Santa Ana and Anaheim, which indeed was needed).

However, the reallocation also allowed for 2 freeway-to-freeway carpool connector projects (I-5/55 and 57/91 interchanges) -- all the while the canyon corridor connecting to Riverside County continued to jam up, leaving drivers with no other viable option except the toll lanes.

Can the recent CTC recommendations be deja vu all over again?

We suggest it's time to let CTC Executive Director John Barna, Caltrans District 8 and even the Riverside County Transportation Commission know how we feel.

Likewise, a gentle reminder to Gov. Schwarzenegger not to forget about Riverside County -- one of his highest vote-getting counties in both elections -- might be in order. If you prefer, you can call, write or pay a visit to the Governor's district office: 3737 Main Street, #201, Riverside, CA 92501; Phone: 951-680-6860; Fax: 951-680-6863.

Finally, we seem to recall Riverside County loaning Caltrans money recently to ensure work continued on the 60/91/215 interchange project. Maybe it's time to ask for our money back...?

Update

• State revises transportation funding list

Related

• Los Angeles Times - State freeway upgrades bypass much of L.A.


• Riverside Press-Enterprise - Agency targets congestion


• San Bernardino Sun - Projected state funding for transportation projects in S.B. County less than desired


• California Department of Transportation - Traffic Congestion Relief Program


• California Transportation Commission


• California Transportation Commission - Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA) (Feb. 2007)


• Riverside County Transportation Commission

Orange-Empire.com

• 4 million and counting (Dec. 2006)


• Inland growth driving SoCal region (Dec. 2006)


• 'A Sleeping Giant' - part deux (Feb. 2006)


• Relieving commuter congestion (Oct. 2005)