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PUBLIC SUPPORT STRONG, STEADY TO COMPLETE 241 TOLL
ROAD
Fifth annual survey finds continuing support for Foothill-South
and toll roads
IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2005) - Nearly 60% Orange
County residents support plans to complete the last segment of the
Foothill (241) Toll Road and more than 60% favor toll roads as an
option to freeways, according to a fifth annual public opinion survey
released today by the Transportation Corridor Agencies.
"Five years of data consistently show across-the-board support
to complete the 241 Toll Road," said Dr. Robert Meadow, a partner
at of Lake Snell Perry Mermin/Decision Research, the firm that conducted
the poll in June. "People understand that completing the toll road
system will give them more time-saving choices in and around Orange
County just as the existing toll roads have, so it's not a surprise
our data consistently shows toll roads are viewed very positively
in Orange County."
"Foothill-South has been planned as an important component of the
regional and local transportation system since 1981 and the survey
data shows people want the toll road system completed to help keep
this county moving," said Ken Ryan, Chairman of the Foothill/Eastern
Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), which oversees the Foothill
(241) and Eastern (241, 261, and 133) Toll Roads. "This research
is very important as we prepare to select an environmentally sensitive
Foothill-South project alternative in the coming months."
Other survey findings include:
- Traffic and environmental concerns can be balanced. A
strong majority - about three-quarters of respondents in South
County, Central County, and San Clemente - believe roads can be
built in an environmentally sensitive way.
- Roads are needed to accommodate development. A clear
majority believe developers will build housing wherever they own
land, so roads should be built to avoid traffic jams. About two-thirds
agree that as new homes are built, toll roads are needed to help
prevent freeways from becoming more congested.
- Toll roads help ease traffic and provide a good option to
freeways. About two-thirds said toll roads have been helpful
in relieving traffic in Orange County, even for those who do not
use the toll roads and three-quarters favor toll roads as an alternative
to freeways. About 72% believe toll roads enhance quality of life
by reducing stress from traffic and shortening commutes.
ABOUT FOOTHILL-SOUTH
Foothill-South is the final segment of Orange County's planned 67-mile
toll road system. The project, which has been the subject of regional
planning efforts since 1981, would extend the Foothill (241) Toll
Road south from its current end at Oso Parkway to the I-5 Freeway
near the Orange/San Diego county line.
Since 2000, TCA has been working with federal and state agencies
to analyze a number of project alternatives to address traffic congestion
in South Orange County. By the end of 2005, the Foothill/Eastern
TCA Board of Directors will choose a locally preferred alternative
among eight project alternatives - six toll-road alignments, the
widening of I-5, and the widening of major arterial streets. The
potential environmental impacts of these alternatives were scientifically
analyzed in a 3,200-page Environmental Impact Statement/Subsequent
Environmental Impact Report released in May 2004. Once a locally
preferred alignment is selected, a number of state and federal approvals
must be secured and a financing plan must be developed before construction
can begin. Construction could begin as early as 2007 and the road
could open to traffic in 2009.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
The poll was conducted in June among 1,200 registered voters - 300
in San Clemente, 400 in south Orange County (all cities south of
Irvine except San Clemente), and 500 in "central" cities (Anaheim,
Orange, Tustin, Santa Ana, and Yorba Linda). The margin of error
ranges from 4.4% to 5.6% depending on the sample area. Sampling
in 2005 was adjusted from previous years. Changes included: (1)
Prior years' registered voters were contacted from all central and
north county cities, however in the 2005 the "central cities" sample
area was reduced to Anaheim, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Yorba
Linda (all member agencies of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation
Corridor Agency); (2) All Irvine zip codes were included in the
south county data, whereas in previous years, portions of Irvine
were allocated to other sample groups.
ABOUT LAKE SNELL PERRY MERMIN/DECISION RESEARCH
Dr. Robert Meadow is a partner with Lake Snell Perry Mermin/Decision
Research, a research firm that has conducted research for clients
throughout the country, including national, state, and local governments,
legislators, school districts, associations, and environmental groups
such as The Nature Conservancy and The Wilderness Society. More
information:www.lakesnellperry.com
or www.decisionr.com.
ABOUT TCA
Nearly 300,000 trips are taken on The Toll Roads every weekday,
saving drivers an average of 21 minutes per trip. The Toll Roads
are operated by the Foothill/Eastern and San Joaquin Hills Transportation
Corridor Agencies, two joint powers authorities formed in 1986 to
plan, finance, construct, and operate Orange County's 67-mile public
toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including
the San Joaquin Hills (73) Toll Road from Newport Beach to San Juan
Capistrano; and the Foothill (241) and Eastern (241, 261, and 133)
Toll Roads from the 91 Freeway to south Orange County.
- FOR FULL REPORT - Please contact Clare Climaco at (949)
754-3417
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