Widening the 91?

The 91 Freeway through the Santa Ana Canyon area is one of Southern California's worst commutes. But now the Orange County Register is reporting that a major widening project could be in the offing:

Orange County could collect nearly $218 million to widen the 91 freeway and improve several rail crossings under a state program intended to offset the impacts of increasing port traffic.

The California Transportation Commission will decide in April how to divvy up some $3 billion in bond money approved by voters in 2006. A funding recommendation released by the commission this week includes eight Orange County projects.

One of those projects would add a westbound lane to the 91 Freeway, between the 5 and 57 freeways. The other projects involve building railroad under- or over-crossings at busy intersections, so that trains can pass through without stopping traffic.

Comments

[russell]

You could make the argument that toll roads and congestion pricing are useless, just by citing this road. It is the worst of all possible worlds, and how that escapes the typical Southern Californian baffles me.

But keep on marching on. The real problem is the lack of guts on the part of our political leadership. This really need the efforts of the state to solve. Too many counties and divided interests have not solved this problem yet.

[Angry California resident]

For all you clowns that constantly suggest mass transit, it's not going to fix the problem. Everyone pays taxes and those taxes should go to fixing these roads and for expansion. I'm tired of handing taxpayer money to privately owned companies to build toll roads and toll lanes so we can pay double just to get to work and home. People have their own lives and many places to go which mass transit does not accommodate. The state should ban all those large semi-trucks to driving only at night, that would be a huge traffic decrease right there. The fixes and upgrades to freeways were needed years ago to handle the traffic problems of today, and yet the government is still trying to decide how to fix this huge mess and construction couldn't even state for at least another 10 years. I talked to someone 8 years ago from the OCTA about any sort of traffic remedy for the 91 and he told me not for another 10 years. Well, it's been 8 years and they still don't even have a concrete plan. Meanwhile the state collects billions from gas taxes then steals the money to put in the general fund to decrease the state deficit. California is like this bizarro world where everything is wrong and there is no answer in sight.

No more toll lanes or toll roads. No more carpool lanes that do not alleviate traffic congestion. Use taxpayer money from transportation taxes to fix and upgrade roads.

[Eddie Barker]

Every time I drive from Orange County to the Inland Empire (using the 91 East), four lanes are jammed up with thousands of commuters. It takes forever to get through. It is the most frustrating experience ever! Then you look over and two lanes are used for FastTrack. The government charges an exorbitant amount of money to use these lanes so only the rich can afford it. The rest of us are stuck with four congested lanes. The only way to get from Yorba Linda to Corona is through that freeway. The government basically controls a monopoly on travel through that area because there are no surface streets to relieve congestion.

[Michael Madden]

Think big picuture...the bigger the 91 is the worse the 5, 57, 605, and 710 will be so therefore it will affect overall traffic system....first thing first!!! push the mass transit....from the retard system to effieicent system like NYC have!

[Tim]

Adding more freeway lanes on the 91 is sure to add more congestion on the 57 and 5 (both nightmares) at that location, because cars will reach the interchange faster. They need to double the size of the 57, 5, 55, 91, 405, 210, 10, 15, etc. Mass transit would be nice, but the MTA is completely retarded.

[Paul]

Can they make this freeway any bigger?

Create more publicly owned toll lanes/roads and start making some serious investments in mass transit. Gas isn't going to drop below $3 a gallon ever again, it's just going to climb higher.

[Dan W.]

That money would be better spent expanding Metrolink Service between Orange County and its environs and by establishing a light rail network between Anaheim attractions, Metrolink, and important destinations like South Coast Plaza.

The car culture cannot be either economically or environmentally sustained in its current quality, not even in Orange County.

[Brian]

The 91 between the 5 and the 57 isn't exactly what I'd call the "Santa Ana Canyon". The bulk of the relief is needed between the 55 and the 215. Don't go getting me all excited. 8-)