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Rancho Ortega Blog discusses matters of public interest in South Orange County, including the communities of San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch and Rancho Mission Viejo.

The writings of Don Juan Ortega on the Rancho Ortega Blog are the personal views of the author. This blog is not authored by nor does it have any affiliation whatsoever with any other person, place or entity using the name "Rancho Ortega" (or any similar name).

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http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/4704

OC Board of Supervisors and Rancho Mission Viejo Seem to be Planning for Life Without the 241 Tesoro Extension

It looks as though Orange County and Rancho Mission Viejo are ready to move forward with the alternative road plan, and appear to be concluding that the Tesoro Extension of the 241 will not be built. Back in April, we wrote in this article about how the 241 to the 5 connector was likely dead, [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/4281

Cash Tolls on the Toll Roads will End May 14

If you’ve driven any of our local toll roads recently, you are aware of (or perhaps confused about) the changes coming to TCA toll collection. On May 14, drivers will no longer have an option to pay cash at toll booths. According to the toll road agency:

On May 14 at 12:01 a.m., we will [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/3056

Are the Toll Roads Headed for Bankruptcy?

Are the Toll Roads headed for bankruptcy? A Bloomberg article, citing a California Treasury commission report, warns that the Transportation Corridor Agency may “eventually” become unable to meet its debt service if it is unable to refinance.

The Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, which operates 39 miles (63 kilometers) of toll highways in Orange County, risks [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/2753

Full Closure at NB 5/133 Connector Tomorrow

Announcement from Caltrans and the TCA affecting many northbound commuters tomorrow:

FULL CLOSURE NOTICE: Tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Caltrans will be closing the northbound I-5 to northbound SR 133 connector. Northbound I-5 traffic wishing to use the northbound SR 133 will be detoured past the closed connector, then to exit at Jeffrey [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/2676

Transportation Corridor Agency to Appeal San Diego Water Board’s Denial of Proposed 241 Tesoro Extension

At first it looked like the Tesoro Extension of the 241 toll road would begin this summer. Then the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board denied a permit for the 5.5 mile extension of the 241 located entirely within Orange County. We lamented that decision as a failure of local government here. That denial [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/2454

A Disappointing Week for Local Governance in South Orange County

We wanted to highlight two recent local stories for discussion. First, the 241 Tesoro Extension hit a roadblock when the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board denied its permit application. Here’s how the Patch reported it:

After more than six grueling hours of presentations and testimony Wednesday, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/1953

Pacific Research Institute Study Questions the Financial Viability of the Toll Roads

The poor toll road! It is being whip-sawed back and forth this week. First, on Tuesday it received good news in the form of $8.3M in funding from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and OCTA for construction of Cow Camp Road to an interchange with the proposed 241 Tesoro Extension. Today, however, a research [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/1479

Construction of the 241 Tesoro Extension May Begin This Summer

In 2008, the California Coastal Commission and U.S. Department of Commerce rejected the proposed alignment of the 241 Toll Road that would have connected it to I-5 south of San Clemente. The Transportation Corridor Agencies have now proposed to complete the 241 in segments, with the first segment extending the 241 from its current end-point [...]

http://www.ranchoortega.com/blog/archives/299

241 Extension Moving Forward

Like the La Pata Gap Closure project, plans to connect the 241 toll road to I-5 south of San Clemente have been debated for nearly two decades. But unlike La Pata, the 241 has been mired in a firestorm of controversy. A coalition of six state and federal agencies originally proposed a route that would [...]