Not My Toll Road Group Speaks Up Against San Clemente Toll Road

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Life in south Orange County is great, except for the traffic woes. Still, these outspoken San Clemente residents recently compiled photos to show their displeasure at the proposed toll road expansion through their town. In the above video, which they said was unable to be shown at the last TCA meeting, citizens shared their concern.

San Clemente residents are battling against the Toll Roads and OCTA. At the latest City Council meeting, residents spoke up against the proposed toll road.

"A group of citizens in Orange County have begun to collect funds for a lawsuit against the Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) from extending the 241 Toll Road past Oso Parkway Parkway, where it currently ends," they wrote on the Not My Tollroad Facebook page. "The TCA wants to extend the Toll Road by weaving through existing communities and too close to schools, the proposals are not on the master plan of highways and are too destructive to even consider let alone the wasteful spending going on to study the insane proposals."

The Facebook group is picking up steam, as is the heated debate against the toll road expansion by area residents, most recently at the last San Clemente City Council meeting.

"I wanted to focus on the additional proposed alternative to the proposals they (OCTA) been looking at," San Clemente resident Mark Maguire said to the council and those present. "My guess is that they will propose a partial alternative that will end at La Pata at the north end of town. I ask folks to think about that a partial alternative might sound great, but it would still be a potential problem, as a partial toll road means a toll road could be connected in the future."

In an effort to stop the progress of the toll road through South Orange County, residents are contributing to a campaign to file a lawsuit to challenge the"hidden, secret, and illegal approval of the Oso Bridge," the Not my Toll Road group's fundrazr page said.

Last summer two public employees falsely filed a Notice of Determination indicating that the required analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") had been completed. This was untrue as no such action or vote was ever taken. These illegal activities violate CEQA and constitute a civil rights violation because these public employees were actiing illegally "under cover of legal authority". Our proposed action seeks to reverse the approval of the Oso Bridge and seeks damages and attorney's fees for the public abuse of trust.

"I know there's a lot of traffic that's got to get to the beach," surfer Corky Carroll long time San Clemente resident said, "San Clemente is one of the coolest places on earth, and I'd hate to see it squished and destroyed."

How do you feel about the toll road expansion into south county? Share your thoughts with Patch.

Photo: Youtube screenshot