23 Freeway: Caltrans got it right

The Ventura County Star gives a big thumbs up to the widening of the 23 Freeway, calling it a Caltrans success story:

Not only is the $65 million road-widening work, which is all but complete, nearly 14 months ahead of schedule and on budget, but the new lanes on this well-traveled pavement have also delivered the promised relief from bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour. For the most part, it is now smooth sailing for the steady stream of cars and trucks — estimated at more than 99,000 daily — flowing along the busy 7-mile stretch of the east county highway. As a bonus, the added road space has now lured back hundreds of motorists who had been clogging surface streets, such as Erbes, Lynn and Moorpark roads, in an effort to avoid the once-jammed highway.

Comments

[LAofAnaheim]

Yep..they got it right. More pollution, more car convenience, more reasons to not take public transportation, etc... Until the valley "get's it", then they'll always complain about traffic & "overdevelopment". We need to focus on public transportation activities. A bus lane down the 23 would have been nicer. All these are drivers are going to complain about traffic, gas prices, need to widen, etc.. in five years.

[Louis]

Wow! CalTrans got it right??

Well, don't celebrate too soon. Road widenings are always great at first. Of course, it means that the road has extra capacity and in no time at all, that should be occupied. Then what? Well, then back to business as usual.

The solution? Well, charging a price would be a good start.