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May 5, 2008
Submit Your Letter of Support!
Support Efforts To Expand The 241 Toll Road
Improving Traffic Throughout Corona Region
 The
Corona Chamber is working to urge the United States
Secretary of Commerce to override the California
Coastal Commission’s objection to the Transportation
Corridor Agency’s application for the proposed State
Route 241 Toll Road expansion.
Why
This Issue Is Important To You
This is
important to you because completing the 241 is
critical to the economy of Southern California. It
provides an alternative to Interstate 5, the only
north-south route between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Traffic
on I-5 is already gridlocked and traffic is expected
to increase 60 percent by 2025 if the road is not
completed. The increase in trade from Mexico and the
Far East is imposing enormous demands on the
Southern California regional transportation system.
The completion of State Route 241 is essential to
relieve congestion on I-5 attributable to increased
international trade.
February 8, 2008
California Coastal Commission Stops 241 Toll Road
Expansion Proposal
Late last year, the Corona Chamber of Commerce
voted to support the proposed extension of the SR
241 Foothill South Toll Road. However, on February
6, 2008, the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2
to reject the proposed 16-mile extension. The
commission cited the road's infringement on San
Onofre State Park as their primary reasoning.
“We are extremely disappointed in the California
Coastal Commission’s decision,” stated Cynthia
Schneider, Chair of the Corona Chamber’s Legislative
Action Committee. “The completion of this extension
would have had a positive impact on Corona drivers
by shortening their commute into Southern Orange
County,” continued Schneider.
The 241 Toll Road is the final link in a system that
is already in operation. This link would have
allowed traffic to continue along the 241 from Oso
Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita and connect to the
I-5 near San Clemente. The extension would have
provided a much-needed bypass to relieve congestion
on the I-5 through South Orange County. It would
have also allowed drivers, wishing to use the toll
road from the 91 freeway, to travel to the I-5, a
much shorter route through the middle of Orange
County.
Drivers from Southern Orange County and Northern San
Diego County rely on I-5 as the only major
north-south artery. A significant accident or
natural disaster impacting that corridor completely
gridlocks the region. The extension would have
provided an inland alternative to I-5 and would have
given drivers a free-flowing choice. The 241 Toll
Road was always designed to connect to the I-5. The
67-mile toll road system, with the completed
extension, has always been part of long-range plans
for the Orange County transportation network. Corona
residents and businesses should have seen this as a
step in the right direction when trying to deal with
the heavy congestion of Southern California
freeways.
The 241 Toll Road extension would have been paid for
by the Transportation Corridor Agency selling
toll-revenue bonds to private and institutional
investors to pay for construction. The Coastal
Commission’s decision is a grave blow to Corona
commuters.
January 29, 2008
 Corona
Chamber Tackles Congestion and Commuting, Supports SR-241 Toll Road
Expansion
The Corona Chamber supports the proposed extension of the SR 241 Foothill South Toll Road. The 241 Toll Road is the
final link in a system that is already in operation. This
link will allow traffic to continue along the 241 at from Oso Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita and connect to the I-5
near San Clemente, providing a much-needed bypass to relieve
congestion on the I-5 through South Orange County. It will
also allow drivers, who wish to use the toll road from the
91 freeway to travel to the I-5, a much shorter route
through the middle of Orange County.
“The completion of this extension will have a positive
affect on Corona drivers by shortening their commute into
Southern Orange County. It’s a win-win situation for all
drivers wishing to travel back and forth from Corona and
South Orange County and will also lighten traffic into the
OC by diverting Southern bound traffic at the 241,” stated
Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Corona Chamber’s Legislative
Action Committee. “This should help with goods movement in
and around our area and allow businesses and other drivers
to save time and money,” continued Schneider.
Drivers from Southern Orange County and Northern San Diego
County rely on I-5 as the only major north-south artery. A
significant accident or natural disaster impacting that
corridor completely gridlocks the region. The extension will
provide an inland alternative to I-5 and give drivers a
free-flowing choice. The 241 Toll Road was always designed
to connect to the I-5. The 67-mile toll road system, with
the completed extension, is part of all long-range plans for
the Orange County transportation network. Corona residents
and businesses should see this as a step in the right
direction when trying to deal with the heavy congestion of
Southern California freeways.
The 241 Toll Road extension will be paid for by the
Transportation Corridor Agency selling toll-revenue bonds to
private and institutional investors to pay for construction.
These bonds will be repaid by future tolls coming from
drivers who choose to use the road. Since the bonds will not
be backed by the government, taxpayers would not be
responsible for repaying the debt if future toll revenues
fall short.
For a complete
listing of project details and supporters of the extension
log onto the 241 Toll Road Extension website at
www.relievetraffic.org
The following
letter in support of the 241 Toll Road was sent to the
California Coastal Commission:
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December 19,
2007
Chairman Pat Kruer
California Coastal Commission
45 Fremont Street, Ste. 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105-2219
Subject: Corona Chamber of Commerce SUPPORTS the approval of
the Transportation Corridor Agency’s application for
Consistency Certification
Dear Chairman Kruer:
The Corona Chamber of Commerce is writing to strongly urge
the California Coastal Commission to approve the
Transportation Corridor Agency’s application for Consistency
Certification in February 2008.
The Chamber strongly believes the last segment of the State
Route 241 Toll Road has been carefully planned to balance
the need for traffic relief with environmental protection
concerns.
Completion of SR 241, a project that has been thoroughly
planned and extensively studied for over 20 years, is a
vital link in our region’s transportation network. It will
improve the quality of life and enhance local economies
throughout the Corona region by reducing traffic congestion.
Utilizing a conservative estimate of $12 per hour, it will
increase business productivity for Corona area commuters by
$345.9 million annually.
Furthermore, the Toll Roads alleviate as much as 25 percent
of traffic congestion on our local freeways and eliminate an
estimated 8.2 million pounds of vehicle emissions annually.
Without the Toll Roads, vehicle hours of delay on our
freeways and local streets would increase by an additional
115,300 hours each workday.
Completion of State Route 241, as proposed by the
Transportation Corridor Agency, will result in significant
relief from this regional traffic congestion, improvement to
our local economy, improvement to our air quality, and
provide access to coastal areas which should be equally and
fairly available all resident, including the families and
individuals in Corona and the Inland Empire area.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Bobby Spiegel
President/CEO
Cynthia
Schneider
Chair,
Legislative Action Committee
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March 3, 2007
Corona Chamber Works to
Secure $195 Million in Transportation Funding
The Corona Chamber of Commerce,
partnering with the Riverside County Transportation Commission
(RCTC) and other regional business organizations called upon the
Corona business community this week to urge state officials to
help secure transportation funding for the region.
The California Transportation
Commission (CTC), awarded $195 million dollars of Proposition 1B
funding to Riverside County. Specifically, Riverside
County was awarded $157 million to cover the cost of five miles
of carpool lanes on Highway 91 and $38 million to widen
Interstate 215 between I-15 and Scott Road. The CTC is
responsible for the allocation of funds from Proposition 1B.
Corona businesses wrote letters to
the CTC urging them to follow their staff recommendations that
included funding for a portion of State Route 91 and to consider
the possibility of allocating additional funding for more
projects within Riverside County.
“The Corona Chamber of Commerce is
being proactive on an issue that impacts all businesses within
this region,” stated Bobby Spiegel, President and CEO of the
Corona Chamber. “It is important that the city of Corona and
surrounding communities get their fare share of funds to improve
our transportation nightmare.” Spiegel continued.
The Corona Chamber collected
letters via its advocacy website, www.CoronaAdvocacy.biz over a
24 hour period and hand delivered the letters to the California
Transportation Commission board members.
“This extremely successful letter
writing campaign, in such a short amount of time, proves our
business community is serious about the Chamber’s role
representing their interests with government,” stated Cynthia
Schneider, Chair of the Corona Chamber’s Legislative Action
Committee.
February 26,
2007
Proposition 1B: Riverside County’s Fair Share
Last
week, the California Transportation Commission (CTC)
considered how to best spend the funds approved by
voters in the November 2006 election from
Proposition 1B.
Riverside County requested $951 million of
Proposition 1B funds for transportation projects and
was awarded less than one-tenth of that request. The
CTC will make its final decision on these funding
allocations on Wednesday, February 28, 2007.
Click to read the Press Enterprise editorial.
February 26,
2007
Let's Get Moving!
Corona Chamber Launches
Effort to
Improve Transportation
Campaign
will ensure the construction of needed transportation
improvements throughout Riverside County.
The Corona
Chamber partners with the Riverside County Transportation
Commission (RCTC) to launch a new Let’s Get Moving campaign.
The purpose of the Let’s Get Moving campaign is to support
and promote the RCTC planned transportation projects that
impact infrastructure improvements throughout Riverside
County. This campaign will ensure the construction of needed
transportation improvements throughout Riverside County.
Let's Get
Moving Campaign Action Plan
The top
transportation infrastructure projects of Corona's business
community:
Proposition 1B:
Riverside County’s Fair Share
Goods Movement
and Grade Separation Funding
Perris Valley
Line Metrolink Extension
Mid County
Parkway
State Route 79
Realignment
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Proposition 1B: Riverside County’s Fair Share |
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The Corona Chamber will assist RCTC by promoting these corridors to CalTrans and the California Transportation Commission (CTC) as high priorities for state investment. |
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Riverside County must embrace an opportunity to secure significant state investment in infrastructure if Proposition 1B is approved by voters on November 7. While some categories in Prop 1B are formula funding allocated to counties and cities, many categories are competitive statewide, meaning that Riverside County’s projects will be in the running for a limited pot of money against dozens of other projects across California.
RCTC’s priority in the $4.5 billion Corridor Mobility account of Proposition 1B is to secure funding for expansions of I-15, I-215 and SR-91. |
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Goods
Movement and Grade Separation Funding |
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The Corona Chamber recognizes that goods movement is a priority and work with the RCTC in their effort to develop a fund strategy to accommodate goods movement and funding grade separations. |
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At the RCTC’s annual retreat in September, the full board adopted a strategy to fund the highest priority grade separations in Riverside County. This plan calls for significant investment of local, state, and federal dollars to separate local traffic from the nearly 100 freight trains that move through the county every day. The result of implementing this strategy will be cleaner air, reduced delay, and increased safety.
Goods movement is a growing priority for the Commission, as increased freight moving through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach congest major commuter arteries such as I-15, SR-60, I-10, and I-215.
Goods Movement
Currently, commuter rail services in Riverside County operate on railroad tracks owned by the private freight operators, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. As a result, passenger trains share the tracks with freight trains. As freight trains are projected to increase at a faster rate than passenger trains, negative impacts may occur such as poor on-time performance without increased track capacity.
An additional impact to the Riverside County community of increased freight traffic is longer delays at railroad crossings while waiting for longer and slower trains to cross. There are 59 railroad grade crossings along the three main lines in Riverside County. In March 2001, RCTC adopted a prioritized list of crossings recommended for grade separation (revised April 2006). |
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Perris
Valley Line Metrolink Extension |
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The Corona Chamber supports the Perris Valley Line and work with the RCTC to promote the traffic relief it will bring to Riverside County. |
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The Perris Valley Line is a 22.7 mile extension of Metrolink commuter rail service that will relieve congestion on I-215, spark economic growth in the Inland Empire, and provide an effective transportation solution at minimum taxpayer cost. The Perris Valley Line will remove thousands of cars off I-215 during peak driving periods, improving commute times, improving air quality, and providing convenience to Riverside County commuters. For the first time, a Metrolink line will be moving passengers solely within Riverside County, rather than exporting people to Orange and Los Angeles Counties; job centers at March Global Port and Downtown Riverside will continue to grow with this new service. The Perris Valley Line builds on a proven system that is efficient, cost-effective, and vital to the Southern California economy. RCTC is working to deliver the Perris Valley Line by 2009-2010.
Project Details
The San Jacinto Branch Line Commuter Rail (Perris Valley Line) Project is a 19-mile extension of the Metrolink 91 Line, currently providing service from Riverside to downtown Los Angeles. The extension would begin at the existing Riverside-Downtown Station in the City of Riverside and proceed north on the Union Pacific Riverside Industrial Lead tracks for approximately two miles before turning southeast along the San Jacinto Branch Line. The terminus of the Line is in the City of Perris at Route 74 and I-215.
The New Start extension will travel on the San Jacinto Branch Line, purchased by RCTC in 1993, which runs parallel to I-215, one of the most heavily traveled and congested freeways in the region.
Upon start up in 2009, the Perris Valley Line Project will include up to five new stations, operate through three cities (Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris), as well as directly serve University of California, Riverside and March Air Reserve Base.The project will also provide additional communities such as Hemet, San Jacinto, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Temecula closer access to the Southern California commuter rail network.
Project Benefits
Commuters will enjoy multiple benefits of the new Perris Valley Line Metrolink Extension when the project is completed:
- Viable, safer transportation alternative to driving alone;
- Projected elimination of 4,000 auto trips per day; and,
- Improved landscape transportation corridor.
Project Station Locations
Six station facilities have been proposed for this Project. General locations for stations have been identified, but precise parcels to be aquired are subject to further refinement.
Target parcels will be identified for the environmental document that are suitable for development of station facilities. These target parcels are identified based on proximity to the rail line and current status of occupation (i.e., only vacant lands or lands owned by a public agency are under consideration). Most of the properties that could be potentially acquired for stations are private properties. Potential sites for the Alessandro station and for the proposed Van Buren site are owned by the March Joint Powers Authority. The proposed commuter rail station sites at Perris and UCR are on RCTC-owned property.
It should be noted that some of the proposed station facilities might not be developed in the start-up phase; they have been included so that a reasonable picture of total impacts can be presented. |
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The Corona Chamber supports the Mid County Parkway and work with the RCTC to promote the traffic relief it will bring to Riverside County. |
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The Mid County Parkway is a new east-west transportation corridor that will relieve pressure on the heavily congested State Routes 91 and 60 in Riverside County, and will be built using a federal-state-local partnership known as the Community Environmental & Acceptability Process (CETAP). The Mid County Parkway is one of seven high priority projects initially identified by President Bush’s Executive Order 13274 for environmental streamlining. The Mid County Parkway will begin at I-15 at the Cajalco Road exit and cross the Lake Matthews area, crossing I-215 and Perris and terminating in San Jacinto. The environmental approval process has been fully funded, and will be completed next year. Funding will be needed in the future for the final engineering, design and construction efforts.
Route Alternatives
The Mid County Parkway has completed preliminary studies, held public meetings, and identified alternatives. During 2005 and 2006, ongoing environmental and engineering studies as well as public input have created several changes to the alternatives. Technical reviews led to a new route to the south of the original routes being added in the middle section of the project. Public input and engineering considerations led to the removal of a route North of Lake Mathews. Most recently, dam safety issues led to the removal of a route near the Lake Perris Dam.
Environmental Studies
Since late 2004, RCTC’s consultants have been conducting field studies and analyzing the effects of the MCP alternatives on the human and natural environment. During that time, the consultants have surveyed approximately 17,000 acres, on 3,000 parcels that are in the area of the different MCP alternatives. These surveys have identified the locations of sensitive wetland areas, populations of sensitive animal and plant species, and important archeological sites. Project engineers have been using these environmental surveys to fine tune the alignments to best avoid and minimize impacts to people, homes, businesses and animal and plant species. In addition, RCTC has been working closely with CalTrans and FHWA on each of the alternatives to meet highway standards. |
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State
Route 79 Realignment |
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The Corona Chamber supports a re-aligned of SR-79 and will promote its economic development impact to San Jacinto and Hemet.
The Corona Chamber will assist the RCTC in advocating for additional federal funds for SR-79 re-alignment. |
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The current SR-79 is already struggling to meet traffic demands. With the projected growth in the San Jacinto Valley, it is clear that major improvements must be made to SR-79. RCTC is in the environmental approval phase of re-aligning SR-79 to the west up to SR-74, essentially building a new highway that is less circuitous and separated from local traffic. A re-aligned SR-79 will promote economic development in San Jacinto and Hemet, and will make for an easier drive into Southwest County.
RCTC is advocating for additional federal funds for SR-79 re-alignment although much of the project is funded through Measure A.
The State Route 79 (SR 79) Realignment (Project) is a proposed realignment of SR 79 between Domenigoni Parkway and Gilman Springs Road in the San Jacinto-Hemet area. The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the agency responsible for transportation in Riverside County and the administrator of Measure A (Riverside County’s 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation), is conducting environmental studies on a variety of alternatives for the Project. |
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September
20, 2006
Let’s Get Corona Moving!
Corona
Chamber Supports Proposition 1B Transportation Bond on
November Ballot
The Corona Chamber supports Proposition 1B on the
November statewide ballot. This $19.9 billion
transportation bond will make funds available for
repairs, reducing congestion, improving bridge safety,
expanding public transit, and improving port security
statewide. The bond proposal also authorizes
public/private transportation partnerships, application
of the Design-Build method for these projects, and
legislation to streamline the environmental review
process.
Proposition 1B also provides:
- Funding that will help improve air quality statewide.
- $200 million for school bus retrofit and replacement,
to reduce air pollution and children’s exposure to
diesel exhaust.
- $1 billion to the State Air Resources Board for
emission reductions related to the movement of goods.
- Funds to expand capacity, enhance operations, and
improve travel times in high-congestion travel
corridors.
- $1.0 billion is designated for air quality
improvements that will achieve emission reductions from
activities related to port operations and freight
movement.
- Improvements to local transportation facilities that
will repair and rehabilitate local streets and roads,
reduce local traffic congestion, improve traffic flow or
increase traffic safety.
- Funding for traffic light synchronization projects and
other technology-based improvements to improve safety
operations and the capacity of local streets and roads.
“An economically stable Corona depends upon future
investments in our highways, roads and streets,” stated
Bobby Spiegel, President and CEO of the Corona Chamber.
“The Corona Chamber supports Proposition 1B because of
the direct impact it will have on our regional
transportation infrastructure.”
Corona and its surrounding region suffer from some of
the worst air pollution and traffic congestion in the
nation. Despite significant reductions in emissions of
air pollutants, residents still breathe air that exceeds
federal ozone standards over 100 days per year, on
average. Proposition 1B includes funding and provisions
that will help improve air quality in our region.
Specifically, Proposition 1B will fund carpool lanes,
mixed flow lanes and two dedicated truck lanes from Mira
Loma in Riverside to the Mojave River Crossing. It will
also provide funding to widen the I-213 to four lanes
and one carpool lane.
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