It’s really wonderful seeing how government works. It gets
to be plum fascinating at times. Some small article in the
newspaper and next thing you know….it’s the End Times!
OK, what are we talking about here? First off, the price
of riding on the 73 San Joaquin Toll Road will go up to
$5.00 bucks one way…when there is traffic on the 405.
Another quarter rise on the 241 Eastern/Foothill Toll Road
will make it $3.00 bucks. In the meantime, the 91 Riverside
Toll Road was supposed to go up to $8.50 one way…but the
stink was high…the rumor is it will stay about $7.75…for
a while.
What seems amazing is how complex our Orange County Government
likes to make the process. First off, the Orange County
Transportation Agency runs the 91 Freeway Toll Roads. The OC
Toll Road Agency, however runs the 241 and 73 Toll Roads. They
both however require an electronic dog leash and offer very
aggressive fines for failure to be monitored. $47 bucks plus
the toll for the First Offense. Double that if they have to
send you another notice…
The responsibility factor is rather interesting. Both bureaucratic
nightmares (OCTA and TCA) have a bunch of the same players on both
boards.
http://www.thetollroads.com/home/about_board_FETCA.htm
http://www.thetollroads.com/home/about_board_SJHTCA.htm
http://www.octa.net/board%20of%20directors.asp
You might be surprised to see coincidences popping up all over
the place. You might even be shocked to see your friends and
pals as members of these austere body’s of decision makers. It
is getting so bad that they had to go the Northern California
for a ex BART Exec….as our new CEO of the Toll Road Agency
(TCA). Yes, it is difficult keeping up with all the players
without uniforms and programs! Tom Margro is a 62 year old
that will be making $225,000 a year plus perks…to replace
Bill Woollett who was less than auspicious in his performance.
For $225K the public should expect some “responsiveness” at
least. Maybe this time when we suggest “Congestion Pricing”
for the 73 Tollway…they won’t take that to mean: “Raise all
the rates, immediately!” At any rate, Margro is supposed to
be the 241 Eastern/Corridor “Hit man” to squelch environmental
opposition to the extension through San Onofre and all the
wilderness lands of South Orange County.
Better go back up and check out those members of the Boards..
and let them know what you might think about this. Evidently,
Woollett was taking too much flak and decided on early
retirement…rather than face down the Sierra Club and the
Surfrider groups! Who knows, Earth First or AlF could show
up next!
Our big question is why are both Agencies so coy about connecting
to each other on their various web pages. Go to TCA…see if you
can find anything about OCTA. How about “Measure M”…MONEY!!!!!
All allocated for everything but supplanting the Toll Roads and
saving the citizens some cash. For what great ideas? Maglev
travel to Las Vegas? Who knows? They are just not so out front
with there multi-pronged agenda. They have no qualms about talking
up the improvement to the 22 Freeway…nice – only 10 years late!
Pot Holes on Beach Blvd…….hmmmmm? What about Harbor Blvd. up
around Midway City? Hmmmmmm? How about allocating some of that
big Measure M cash for Toll Road improvements? Doesn’t the County
own the 73 and the 241? Or is it just the 91 Toll Road lanes?
Perhaps the Orange County Register or LA Times should get one of
their “crack reporters” to interview the new CEO of the TCA and
chat it up with OCTA leadership too! Otherwise, we will just have
to listen to the silence, tell our pals we are upset and get no
decent response to our concerns…..”What concerns?” Oh yeah, if
we didn’t tell you – the Toll Rates are way high! Back when we
were getting ripped off by the Private Consortium…the highest
rate on the 73 Toll Road was $2.35….Now with Government at the
helm: $5.00 at the end of June, 2007! The 241 was $1.25..now $3
bucks! Hope those lunches for the board members are offered at
some great restaurants. After all, “It’s double the pleasure..
double the fun!”
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