Flying Over The 241 Completion Route -- Part Two

Picking up where the previous post left off, here's a another, longer-range shot of San Mateo Creek from Trestles to the I-5, followed by my attempt to zoom in on the beach campground right next to the 5 freeway, where 90% of San Onofre State Beach visitors go.

And here's a shot of Camp Pendleton base housing, the security of which one anon commenter claims the completed 241 would place in jeopardy. You can glimpse Interstate 5 in the foreground.

The final segment is our flight inland along the proposed alignment (known as the "Green" alignment). This is where is it helpful to have watched the TCA simulation, since I pan away from the route in order to give a broader perspective on what's in the surrounding area that 241 completion opponents like to puff up as a latter-day Garden of Eden.

At about the :58 second mark, you'll see a housing tract in the upper left and a power station in the lower right. The 241 route will thread that particular needle. At the 2:11 mark you'll see Ortega Highway on the left. At about the 2:40 mark, we're coming up on Tesoro High School in the upper left, with the current terminus of the 241 ahead.

As readers know, I am strongly in favor of completing the 241 Foothill South toll road. It has been planned and studied for 20 years and is a needed addition to he regional transportation network. I don't expect hard-core 241 opponents to change their minds, but it is clear to me completing the 241 isn't going to destroy anything. It's another road through countryside that looks like every other part of Orange County. It's nice, but let's face it -- it ain't Yosemite. When the road is completed, people will continue to enjoy San Onofre State Beach as they have for decades.

Comments

[wow]

So in your mind any open space that doesn't look like Yosemite should be paved?? Amazing!!

[Jubal]

Did I say that?

No, I didn't.

[jasteps]

My comment is to make it more uncomfortable to drive than to take mass transit. Take the money to be spent on more roads and build light rail for commuters. You have to start sometime and why not now?

[Damon]

Nobody has so far been able to explain to me why exactly we need a road going from Mission Viejo to San Onofre.

How many people could possibly have a commute along that route? Neither of those places are job centers, or even on the way to job centers.

This is a waste of time and money as well as damaging to the environment.

[Teresita]

The toll road extension is for the developers not the commuters. It was pointed out that there are not jobs to commute to -- yes, but once the toll road goes thru there will be bedrooms communities a la those along the exiting toll road. Paving over paradise. Right? Of course it's right. Right wing agenda.