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Supervisor Bates Responds to 241 Toll Road Decision
Supervisor Bates Responds to 241 Toll Road Decision SANTA ANA - Supervisor Patricia Bates, Vice-Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, issued the following statement responding to the Secretary of Commerce's decision to uphold the California Coastal Commission's rejection of coastal consistency certification, a required step in moving the 241 toll road extension forward:
"Although today's decision by the Secretary of Commerce is not the news we had hoped for, it is significant that the Commerce Department reaffirmed the importance of this vital project by encouraging the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) to return to the Coastal Commission with an alternate route proposal. To me, this demonstrates the Department understands the need for another North/South connector between Orange and San Diego counties. I strongly believe that completing the 241 Toll Road is critical to our national interest and is the best solution to alleviating traffic congestion for the entire region, a problem that has severe environmental impacts. It is disappointing that the process has been delayed, but the decision has been made and we must now move forward by bringing all parties back to the table. I support the TCA's and other involved participants' decision to review all options and continue to push ahead on this project that is so crucial to Southern California."
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