Toll Roads

Drivers will be able to pay tolls with cash and eventually credit and ATM cards under a proposal by the county's toll-road agency. A committee of the Transportation Corridor Agencies recommended this week spending $410,000 to buy four machines that would accept cash and give change and receipts in one step. Eventually, the machines also would accept credit and debit cards. If the board approves the proposal at its Sept. 20 meeting, the machines could be installed as soon as January for a 60-day trial period, officials said.

Because of the weakened financial condition of Orange County's largest tollway network, a new study recommends that its leadership postpone a road project and stop borrowing money until state authorities can review the operation. The assessment released Wednesday by the nonprofit Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco is the second critical review in recent months of the Irvine-based Transportation Corridor Agencies, which oversees 51 miles of tollways, the biggest system of its type in the state.

Officials broke ground on what will be Los Angeles County's first freeway toll lanes, taking a gamble that drivers will be willing to pay significant sums to avoid rush-hour traffic. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other officials on Wednesday hailed the project as a major improvement to L.A.'s clogged freeway system. Officials plan to convert a total of 25 miles of existing carpool lanes on the 10 and 110 freeways into high-occupancy toll lanes. Carpools and buses will be able to use the lanes for free, while solo drivers will pay up to $1.40 a mile during peak rush-hour traffic.

A small plane landed next to a toll road Friday in southern San Diego County, sparking 911 calls from frightened witnesses to the California Highway Patrol. The plane landed about 11 a.m. next to the California 125 toll road, said CHP spokesman Jake Sanchez. It was unclear if anyone was hurt, but the plane landed intact and there were no fires or explosions, he said. The plane touched down not far from Brown Field Municipal Airport, just north of the Mexican border. Authorities are still on scene investigating, Sanchez said.

When it opened during the 1990s, Orange County's $2.4-billion tollway system was touted as an innovative way to build public highways without taxpayer money. Today, the roads offer smooth sailing for gridlock-weary commuters willing to pay the price. But far fewer people are using the turnpikes than officials predicted, which means the highways generate far less revenue than expected to retire their debts. There have long been questions about the long-term financial viability of the San Joaquin Hills and Foothill-Eastern corridors.

Owners of the controversial Riverside Freeway toll lanes are seeking to refinance the private thoroughfare in an attempt to lower their debt and eventually eliminate tolls for carpools, motorcyclists and the disabled. Greg Hulsizer, general manager of the 91 Express Lanes, said if the California Private Transportation Co. can refinance, the move will help push the 6-year-old operation closer to profitability.

Re "State probes fiscal health of O.C. toll roads," Dec. 12 Thanks to Orange County's nearly 60 miles of toll roads, commuters have been able to make choices about travel for decades, paying a little extra fee for faster service. Los Angeles is now following in Orange County's footsteps with the opening of the express lanes on the 110 Freeway. If the toll roads are in financial trouble, it is due in large part to government officials trying to stop or slow down the Transportation Corridor Agencies from completing the system to assure financial viability.

Those crafty conservatives in Orange County have come up with a new way of cutting taxes: Call them tolls! JOHN L. GILE Los Angeles

Los Angeles County's venture into toll roads advanced early Saturday with the opening of 14 miles of express lanes on the San Bernardino Freeway - the second project of its type to begin operation in the region since November. At 12:01 a.m., the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority allowed drivers to travel the 10 Freeway's new high occupancy toll lanes - so-called HOT lanes - between Interstate 605 in El Monte and Alameda Street in downtown Los Angeles. "This shows we are willing to address traffic, gridlock and congestion in the region," said Los Angeles Mayor and MTA board member Antonio Villaraigosa at a dedication ceremony in El Monte on Friday.

Re "He introduced Indian music to much of the Western world," Obituary, Dec. 12 I had the great fortune to see Ravi Shankar several times over the last 30 years. Unquestionably the most impressive of any musical performance I have ever seen was his benefit concert in Long Beach on Nov. 4. Despite requiring oxygen and assistance getting to and from the stage, he was in fine form throughout the show, demonstrating his characteristic sense of humor, masterful musicianship and love for the audience, fellow musicians and family.

Re "State probes fiscal health of O.C. toll roads," Dec. 12 Thanks to Orange County's nearly 60 miles of toll roads, commuters have been able to make choices about travel for decades, paying a little extra fee for faster service. Los Angeles is now following in Orange County's footsteps with the opening of the express lanes on the 110 Freeway. If the toll roads are in financial trouble, it is due in large part to government officials trying to stop or slow down the Transportation Corridor Agencies from completing the system to assure financial viability.

When it opened during the 1990s, Orange County's $2.4-billion tollway system was touted as an innovative way to build public highways without taxpayer money. Today, the roads offer smooth sailing for gridlock-weary commuters willing to pay the price. But far fewer people are using the turnpikes than officials predicted, which means the highways generate far less revenue than expected to retire their debts. There have long been questions about the long-term financial viability of the San Joaquin Hills and Foothill-Eastern corridors.

Re “ Leaders tout 110 toll lanes, but some grumble ,” Nov. 11, and “ L.A. enters era of toll roads ,” Nov. 10 Now that we have to pay money to drive on some lanes of the “free” way in Los Angeles, it seems we need to find a new name. How about “Let's-rip-off-the-middle-class roads” or maybe “Pay-again-for-roads-you-already-funded-through-gas-taxes?” Or perhaps, “Poor-people-can-ride-in-transit highways.” As usual, people with plenty of money will have favorable treatment; the tolls will not really matter to them.

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to start your transponders. Or not. Los Angeles County's first toll lanes opened shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday on an 11-mile stretch of the 110 Freeway amid hopes of faster commutes and early grumblings from some unhappy motorists. The express lanes run between Adams Boulevard just south of downtown and the Harbor Gateway Transit Center near Torrance and the 91 Freeway. Officials aim to keep the lanes moving at 45 mph or faster. Solo drivers will pay an average of $4 to $7 per trip - and as much as $15.40 - depending on congestion and toll-lane demand.

A normally busy stretch of the 73 toll road in coastal Orange County will be closed this weekend for filming of "The Hangover Part 3," a deal that is drawing thumbs-down reviews from some. "I think that it's another example of a state agency that just does what it wants without understanding what it does to a local community," said Costa Mesa City Councilman Steve Mensinger. "Clearly," he added, "the state doesn't care what happens in local communities. " The three-mile section of California 73 from the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa to Jamboree Road in Newport Beach serves as a gateway for southbound traffic in the county.

Operators of Orange County's toll road network are planning to eliminate cash payments and toll booth jobs as they try to squeeze more out of their financially strapped pay-to-drive highways. Drivers who use the route 73, 261, 241 and 133 toll roads will need to have payment accounts linked to their transponders or their license plates in order to use the corridors. Cash payments will be phased out over the next 16 months. The FasTrak transponders or the license-plate accounts electronically deduct money from a driver's credit line.