TRANSPORTATION
Completing the 241: Jobs, jobs, jobs!
In October, the local elected officials
who oversee the 241 Toll Road, voted to study the possibility of constructing an ini- tial four-mile segment of the 241 from its current terminus at Oso Parkway to San Juan Capistrano near Ortega Highway. This extension of SR-241 will give San Juan Capistrano residents an alternative route to I-5 and commuters from the Inland Em- pire will be able to take the route to job centers in the north and avoid Ortega Highway, through San Juan Capistrano. During the next 12 months engineer-
This photo taken at Via California Bridge looking south to Capistrano Beach shows the results of a chemical spill in October that closed I-5 bringing traffic to a standstill within minutes... and lasted hours.
Construction of an initial four-mile segment of the 241 completion project could begin as early as next year
by Jeff Bott I
t couldn’t be a better time to start. Ac- cording to a recent report by Beacon Economics, constructing the final 16
miles of the 241 Toll Road will create 17,000 new jobs and provide the state with $3.1 billion in economic output. Although the route for the 241 that
was preliminarily selected by federal re- source agencies was denied by the Califor- nia Coastal Commission and Secretary of Commerce in 2008, the traffic problem on Interstate 5 in southern Orange County has only gotten worse and the need for a solution remains. In the past few years I-5 has been completely shut down for ex- tended periods of time due to fires, an un- detonated hand grenade and, recently, a chemical spill. Weekend and summer traf- fic can be unbearable. Even a minor traffic accident can bring
I-5 to a standstill within a matter of min- utes. Each time such incidents occur, traffic spills onto the local streets of San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capis- trano - completely clogging these cities - as
drivers try and find a way around the problem because there is no other major alter- native route. Completing the 241 will provide significant traffic relief in the area, as well as a desperately needed alter- native to I-5. The Commerce decision
allowed for Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), to pursue other routes for the 241. Since 2008, TCA, the gov- ernment agency responsible for planning and constructing the 241, has held more than 250 meetings with both sup- porters and opponents of the project to see if common ground can be found on a vi- able solution for the road. Many suggested that the agency begin building the project in segments, just as the other toll roads were.
ing plans will be developed, traffic studies will be completed, environmental analyses will be conducted and a finance plan will be approved before construction of this four mile segment can begin.
TCA’s Board also affirmed their sup-
port and commitment to finding a solution for completing the entire 241 and will con- tinue working toward accomplishing this goal while simultaneously analyzing the initial segment. Completing the 241 will provide traffic
relief, provide an alterative to I-5, and cre- ate jobs. If this is important to you, we need your help. It’s easy! Simply log on to
relievetraffic.org and let your local, state and federal officials know what complet- ing the 241 means to your life. This project can only be completed with your help.b
Visit us at The Toll Roads Information Center at 209 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente.
A 4-mile initial segment of the 241 completion project will be analyzed during the next 12 months for early construction.
We proudly support the San Clemente Historical Society.
Restaurant, Bar & Janitorial Supplies in San Clemente Since 1951.
492-6252 309 Calle de los Molinos • San Clemente • CA 92672 SANCLEMENTEJOURNAL 57
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