A Chance to End the Toll Roads

* Many of us who drive the freeways daily throughout Southern California find this to be one of the most, if not the most, stressful experiences of our lives. We always strive to seek solutions to the causes of stress, and thus I am proposing the serious consideration of the following:

Now that the County of Orange is out of bankruptcy and is one of the strongest economic bright lights in California, [it should] assume the annual bond payments for the financially struggling toll roads in Orange County, the Foothill Corridor and the San Joaquin Corridor.

That would open them up for full use by motorists and relieve existing and projected gridlock on the 5 and 405 freeways. We would also save on the yearly costs to administer the two toll roads.

The County of Orange should also accept the financial responsibility for the Fast Track on the 91 Freeway, between Corona and Anaheim, and open up these lanes to existing traffic. With the greatly added capacity, the current canyon traffic problem would be greatly alleviated.

For many years Californians have strongly rejected toll roads. This would be an ideal opportunity for we who reside in Orange County to reaffirm that long-standing commitment that public transportation should be equal and available to all motorists, regardless of their ability to pay.

WILLIAM H. KRAUS

Lake Forest

* I agree with the Aug. 18 editorial, “Eagle Eye on Toll Road Salaries,” that the executives of the “quasi-public toll roads” are overpaid, as the Budget and Finance Committee of the Transportation Corridor Agency has stated.

What bothers me is that the editorial keeps referring to “the public.”

As a member of “the public” and having objected to the entire Transportation Corridor Agencies’ toll road system, I’m bothered by the constant referral to “the public” when in fact this was all put together by bondholders who, to me, don’t represent the public.

STANLEY ESKIN

Laguna Hills