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South County Traffic Relief Effort
The results of the Scoping Summary and Alternatives Screening Report for the South County Traffic Relief Effort (SCTRE) Project were completed in March 2020 and recommend extending Los Patrones Parkway from Cow Camp Road to Avenida La Pata (Alternative 22 Untolled) for further consideration to provide significant traffic relief with minimal environmental and community impact. The County of Orange is the lead agency to advance this alternative through the remainder of the environmental phase.
SCTRE Public Scoping Process
At its March 12, 2020, meeting, The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Board of Directors approved the adoption of the SCTRE report’s recommendations and directed staff to take the steps necessary to work with regional partners to implement the project. The Board’s actions included:
- Adopting the South County Traffic Relief Effort Project Scoping Summary and Alternatives Screening Report (SCTRE Report) and its recommendation to advance Alternative 22 Untolled (Los Patrones Parkway Extension).
- Directing staff to collaborate with the County of Orange to advance Alternative 22 Untolled (Los Patrones Parkway Extension) as a major thoroughfare and return to the Board with a project development plan in conjunction with regional partners.
- Supporting the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) efforts to advance high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane improvements on Interstate 5 between Avenida Pico and the San Diego County Line.
- Supporting OCTA and Caltrans’ efforts to complete the Ortega Highway (State Route 74) widening in San Juan Capistrano.
- Directing staff to collaborate with Caltrans and OCTA to implement the SCTRE Report recommendations, which conclude the Agency’s efforts to identify solutions for a southerly extension of the 241 Toll Road.
Caltrans, in partnership with the F/ETCA, kicked off SCTRE’s environmental review phase in November 2019. After two public meetings and a 94-day comment period, 1,650 comments were submitted to Caltrans by the close of the scoping period on February 10, 2020.
The results of the public input were analyzed and used to develop the screening criteria that considered whether an alternative met SCTRE’s Purpose and Need, and specific comments received were used to identify the amount of public opposition to an alternative. The screening criteria then quantified each alternative by the amount of congestion relief provided, overall cost and cost effectiveness, potential impacts to land uses, environmental justice communities and right-of-way.
Based on current traffic modeling and traffic projections, extending Los Patrones Parkway as an untolled County major thoroughfare from its southern terminus near Cow Camp Road to Avenida La Pata accomplishes TCA’s efforts to complete the southern extension of the 241 Toll Road as it transitions the tolled portion of the roadway into the regional arterial network, similar to the 261 Toll Road and Jamboree Road.
View the SCTRE Report.
Note: Due to the size of the file, it may take longer than anticipated to download.
Read more about the F/ETCA Board approval.
Funding
A funding package has yet to be determined for the Los Patrones Parkway Extension but will be developed as part of TCA’s efforts to prepare a project development plan in conjunction with the County of Orange and regional partners. The estimated project cost is $330 million and will likely include a combination of local, state and federal funds.
Anticipated Schedule
A funding package has yet to be determined for the Los Patrones Parkway Extension but will be developed as part of TCA’s efforts to prepare a project development plan in conjunction with the County of The project will remain in the environmental review phase until 2023. Design will likely take one year with an estimated construction start in 2025 and open to traffic in 2027. These are approximate timeframes and subject to change.