Politics & Government
Toll Roads Under State Scrutiny
Financial viability is questioned. Tolls on the highways are one of the nation's highest per mile.
Orange County's struggling toll roads are under state scrutiny, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
"I think they are in trouble," a local assemblywoman told the paper.
At issue is whether the roads can afford interest payments to private investors who own tollway bonds. A panel led by state Treasurer Bill Lockyer is investigating.
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Ridership and income are well below projections, even though tolls have been raised frequently and now rank among the highest per mile in the nation, the Times said.
Meanwhile, a law firm that helped defeat a proposal to extend the 241 toll road into San Onofre State Park calls the highways "a time bomb waiting to happen." A lawyer for the firm predicted the toll roads' debt problems could lead to a default on bond payments or bankruptcy.
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Do you think the toll roads were a misstep for Orange County, or, given time, can they still be the solution to our traffic woes?
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