Messin with Sasquatch 405?

The 405 Freeway is an international icon.  You could ask someone in Brunei about the traffic on the 405 Freeway and those folks probably have an opinion.  Every talk show host in America, every political activist, every politician, every bureaucrat in the known western world.  Yes folks the 405 is world famous.  So, why are they trying to mess with it?  Hey, it is already known as “the biggest parking lot in America” during rush hour.  It is already considered the primary road way for people running away from the police.  O.J. and his Bronco probably started the whole thing, but now – “the 405 is always happening” during every car chase being covered by local television helocopters.

Recently, the OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority – emphasis Authority) has been making news:  They have been doing stuff.  Why?  For years the OCTA has been responsible for merely doing one thing:  Raising a 1% increase in the sales tax.  Yuk….that should have made them famous enough. Oh, we forgot…that tax ended last year.   OK, but then just recently, out of the blue – they decide in their wisdom to write out the 19th Street Bridge from their Master Traffic Circulation Plan.  It was probably some bored and disgruntled County Traffic Planner that wanted to change stuff enough to “recreate the wheel”.  We should have known that these folks don’t do anything half way intelligent, without having another agenda in mind.  How nice, do away with a archaic idea that came out of the 60’s.  Make folks in Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa happy as clams and make those rich and famous dumbells in Newport Beach belch up their elitist almond chocolate $4 dollar croissants.  Hey OCTA what about that Banning Ranch buildout?  What are you going to do with all those daily trips?  What are you going to do with the lack of a suitable traffic circulation plan now?  Expand the 55 Freeway, all the way down to Pacfic Coast Highway?   What are going to do with the lawsuit that Newport Beach is holding over your heads?

OK, here comes Halley’s Comet.  (For those that miss the concept – Calling Halley’s Comet in a crowded room always gets everyone off the subject at hand.)  The truth is that Halley’s Comet comes by every 88 years and by pure chance matched the birth of Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain) and his passing some 88 years later!  We apologize for the aside….  One last thought:  The OCTA in their wisdom must have thought that because CalTrans added the rest of the Car Pool Lane to the 405 up by the 10 and Getty Center – which require two years to complete…..that the OCTA could ply those wears…..down here.  Wrongo – Buckos!

How about this wonderous and innovative OCTA idea then?  How about making lots of work?  Let’s expand the 405 Freeway!  Great, let’s then find a project that could last for 10 years and inconvenience everyone in California and the world, remove and replace the Springdale overpass, wided the 405 from the 605 to the 73 Freeway, put in a Toll Road lane, do away with the Car Pool lane in the meantime – add another Car Pool lane; one paid which will take single drivers willing to pay the toll, place orange cones where you would never expect them in the middle of the day, night and rush hour and finally; ruin the trip from San Diego to Long Beach forever.  Jolly good show OCTA…..but we are not quite pleased with your make work bureaucratic nightmare scheme.

“Messin with Sasquatch 405” is a terrible and bogus idea.  From top to bottom;  A bogus idea!  Back to the drawing board OCTA.  And by the way, did CalTrans buy off on your so called plan?  Who is doing the EIR on this great mind idea!  Who thought this nonsense up?  We want names!  Step up to the plate folks:  Shaun Nelson…did you agree with this?  Who else?  We know one thing:  Downtown Jerry Brown would have never bought off on this, he knows what makes people really mad.  We can’t wait to review the EIR that is supposed to release at the end of this month….that should be a beauty.

Attention Orange County Supervisors:  Since you guys are so good at putting things on the ballot why don’t you ask for a vote of the people on this item?

Hey Supes, if you can afford to put a OC Measure on the ballot that determines whether a Public Administrator should be elected or Appointed….you can probably afford to put an OCTA Proposal on the ballot that will affect our quality of life for 10 years – as well.  Well….can’t you?