Why are there so few roads between Orange and Riverside counties (Temecula: construction, to live)

[J1ndo]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Wages earned are about one third of CA for the same job. And they still have state property tax that is much more than 1%.

Wow, that's a big drop. If you don't mind, what's the profession that experiences that much variability between regions?

[agypsy]

Building a new road is permanent and therefore any effects it may have on the environment would be irreversible. Sadly we still need "a" path to get to work and back. Two hours stuck in traffic in the hot heat, and rising gas prices should be enough for people to look at other possibles. Something as simple as living near new port, or LIVE IN the OC. If not suck it up.

[wrcousert]

We need Metrolink extensions through Riverside County. Perris is supposedly opening late next year, but I'll believe it when I see it. Temecula was supposed to get a station last year, but it never happened.

I've had it with Riverside County. I'm moving back to Orange County, even if it means doing with less. This place sucks.

[Coldjensens]

They are widening the 91. It goes out to bid in a few months. I will probably take a couple of years to complete.

[clokverkorange]

That's part of why it's so spendy to live in Orange County - access in and out from the surrounding counties is highly limited. North, you have Chino, and there's a two lane windy road that takes you in and out. East, you have Riverside County / Corona, which has the atrocious 91 freeway connecting it to the OC. Southeast, you have Temecula and Murrieta, which have the aforementioned Ortega Highway that feeds into the San Juan Capistrano area, I think, which is a nightmare to drive at any time of day. Also, it's so windy and convoluted that it's almost quicker to take the 15 to the 91, sometimes. To the West you have Los Angeles, which is even worse than Orange County in terms of traffic and logistics headaches. The only "real" answer is to live in the OC, hence my original point.

To answer the question, however, the reason that there are so few roads is that the Cleveland National Forest takes up most of the space between Irvine / Anaheim Hills and Corona, stretching all the way down to Camp Pendleton, I believe (I'd have to check a map to be sure).

You could also look at living in Carlsbad or Oceanside and taking the train into Santa Ana or Anaheim areas, they're pretty central and if you get a little beater car, the Santa Ana train station locks at night and has a security patrol. The Anaheim one is open-air, though, no protection overnight. There may be a stop in Downtown Fullerton also, but that parking structure is also non-gated. I work in Anaheim a few blocks from the Grove (where the Metro stops) and there's a gentleman in this office that says the train ride each morning and evening is actually pretty nice - he has a laptop and it gives him a chance to write or catch up on news in the morning on the way to work. I don't know what it costs, though. Whatever the cost though, seems to me like I'd rather sit on a comfy train seat and have a morning snack and read some news than sit in traffic unable to do anything cos I'm the one driving.

[wrcousert]

The big problem with Metrolink is no late night service. You can forget about working late or going out to dinner after work.

Metrolink needs to run until Midnight, at least on Friday and Saturday nights.

[CAVA1990]

Here's an idea. How about encouraging companies to locate jobs near where people live? Although with technology as it is now I don't understand why half the country isn't telecommuting at home.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Here's an idea. How about encouraging companies to locate jobs near where people live? Although with technology as it is now I don't understand why half the country isn't telecommuting at home.

Good idea. Computers and broadband are cheap these days. Cheap enough to give away to employees as part of their benefits package.

Even some low end minimum wage jobs can be done at home these days. McDonalds outsources order takers in their drive through windows. Why can't some of these people work out of their homes?

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

They are widening the 91. It goes out to bid in a few months. I will probably take a couple of years to complete.

Why can't they do something with the Ortega Highway? Make it four lanes in each direction with a dedicated bus lane and traffic problems would go away.

[Cymbyz]

Ortega Hwy. runs through the Cleveland National Forest. You'd have two counties, the state, and the federal government squabbling over it.