Controversial Toll Road Faces An Environmental Road Block

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published February 6, 2008 at 3:00 AM PST

This story was published more than 16 years ago.

The California Coastal Commission considers a controversial toll road proposal in north San Diego County. Freeway organizers say the 16 mile toll road is necessary to mitigate traffic saturation, but

Tom Fudge : Today, about 2,000 people are expected to show up at a meeting of the California Coastal Commission in San Diego County. In fact, the turnout is expected to be so huge that the meeting was moved from Oceanside to the County Fairgrounds in Del Mar. The subject that has so many people worked up is a six-lane toll road in Orange County that will connect I-5 to State Route 241. The problem is the proposed toll road would cut across San Onofre State Beach Park .

Environmentalists say the toll road would do tremendous damage to a sensitive watershed. The people who want to build the extension say it's needed to reduce traffic congestion on the I-5. KPBS environmental reporter Ed Joyce is in Del Mar to cover the Coastal Commission meeting. The coastal commission must approve the road project for it to move ahead.

Become a KPBS sponsor

The California Coastal Commission is holding a public hearing starting Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. in Wyland Hall of the Del Mar Fairgrounds .

Guest

Ed Joyce , environmental reporter for KPBS News.