Politics & Government
241 Extension to End Near Ortega
By 2014, the Toll Roads agency envisions a new east-west street called Cow Camp Road to handle most of the traffic. Ortega Highway would remain a two-lane road east of Antonio.
The 241 tollway’s next end-point will be at a future street called Cow Camp Road, just shy of two-lane Ortega Highway, at least temporarily, officials decided Thursday.
The board overseeing the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor voted 14-1, with Irvine City Councilwoman Beth Krom opposed, for the plan.
Cow Camp Road would run parallel to, and north of, San Juan Creek. It’s envisioned as the area’s major east-west street with two or three lanes in each direction, Toll Roads staffers said in a report. Ortega Highway would become a secondary street continuing with one lane in each direction east of Antonio Parkway.
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The board decided to analyze a first phase of construction . Thursday's vote tweaked that slightly, ending the first stage at Cow Camp.
However, as Rancho Mission Viejo builds out, the ultimate interchange will be at a street now called "G Street," which is 1.2 miles north of Ortega Highway.
Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The new configuration would provide more direct access to Antonio Parkway and, from there, Ortega Highway, an official said. G Street will also eventually connect to Antonio Parkway and then Ortega Highway for those travellers wishing to connect to the I-5 freeway, according to the maps with the report.
The 4.8-mile, $200-million extension from Oso Parkway to San Juan Capistrano could be done as early as 2014, the staff report states.
By 2035, about 44,000 daily drivers would generate $34 million in tolls, using the Cow Camp Road interchange, the agency estimated.
San Juan Capistrano City Council members they would support the phased-in extension of the tollway, but first they wanted officials to:
- Construct a new Ortega Highway and
- Widen Ortega to four lanes north to Antonio Parkway
- so it connects to San Juan Capistrano
The Toll Roads report, however, did not discuss San Juan's demands and envisioned Ortega Highway staying a country road east of Antonio Parkway.
Construction of the extension is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Orange County and 407 jobs statewide, according to the report.
