Toll Roads

[Arman]

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/toll-618702-roads-drivers.html

Do Toll road officials realize how stupid they are when they raise tolls to raise more money and then complain that not enough people are taking the toll roads? My work puts me in a position to take the roads every day. Depending on traffic, some days I will, but most days I won't. If they reduce the rates a bit, I know I'll be much more likely to take the toll roads more frequently. Raise them, and I'll be that much less likely. I hardly think I'm the only one who feels this way.

Lower the rates, and make it up in volume!

 

[irvinerealtor]

At least they've gotten rid of the overhead of the manned toll booths. (Too late to save Sonny, though)

 

[paperboyNC]

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/toll-618702-roads-drivers.html

Do Toll road officials realize how stupid they are when they raise tolls to raise more money and then complain that not enough people are taking the toll roads? My work puts me in a position to take the roads every day. Depending on traffic, some days I will, but most days I won't. If they reduce the rates a bit, I know I'll be much more likely to take the toll roads more frequently. Raise them, and I'll be that much less likely. I hardly think I'm the only one who feels this way.

Lower the rates, and make it up in volume!

I live in Portola Springs and would love to eat / shop / watch movies in Foothill Ranch regularly but the toll is over $2.00 each way to drive the mile from Portola to Alton. In San Diego they charge variable tolls based on where you got on and got off and that would have be $0.50.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Meanwhile...there is still no public transit system in OC (outside of buses that come once an hour).  It's incredibly ridiculous that there are no metro or light rail system in OC but you know...we wouldn't want the riff-raffs coming in.

 

[paperboyNC]

Meanwhile...there is still no public transit system in OC (outside of buses that come once an hour).  It's incredibly ridiculous that there are no metro or light rail system in OC but you know...we wouldn't want the riff-raffs coming in.

I do know a few people that commute to OC by train from places live Carlsbad, Oceanside, Corona..

 

[bones]

[quoteyyigikb

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Meanwhile...there is still no public transit system in OC (outside of buses that come once an hour).  It's incredibly ridiculous that there are no metro or light rail system in OC but you know...we wouldn't want the riff-raffs coming in.

I do know a few people that commute to OC by train from places live Carlsbad, Oceanside, Corona..

Yes...and you can do metrolink to LA if you work there but it doesn't help when you want to go to the beaches or just to the airport.

 

[ps99472]

I turned in my transponders earlier this week, it was costing me about $30 a month.  Finally was able to do a direct comparison of taking toll roads vs regular when my wife and I happen to be leaving the same location.  I got home 1 MINUTE faster than her.  ONE freakin minute.

 

[bones]

[qufillfgi

 

[qwerty]

I turned in my transponders earlier this week, it was costing me about $30 a month.  Finally was able to do a direct comparison of taking toll roads vs regular when my wife and I happen to be leaving the same location.  I got home 1 MINUTE faster than her.  ONE freakin minute.

What time of the day was it? I can't imagine taking jamboree from say portola down to the 5 in morning or evening rush hour traffic would result in a 1 minute differential

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I turned in my transponders earlier this week

Don't you want to keep them for just in case? We have transponders but only use them maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[qwerty]

I turned in my transponders earlier this week

Don't you want to keep them for just in case? We have transponders but only use them maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

yeah same here. although now you can do a one time toll without the transponders as long as you go online and pay within 48 hours. so that may be better than  paying the $2/month fee per transponder if you dont use them enough.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I turned in my transponders earlier this week

Don't you want to keep them for just in case? We have transponders but only use them maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

Don't need the transponder for that anymore.  You can register a credit card with the toll roads people and they'll take the toll from that account when you go through.  The new system takes pictures of your license plates.

 

[paperboyNC]

I live in Portola Springs and would love to eat / shop / watch movies in Foothill Ranch regularly but the toll is over $2.00 each way to drive the mile from Portola to Alton. In San Diego they charge variable tolls based on where you got on and got off and that would have be $0.50.

Just take ridge valley or modjeska to irvine blvd. and take irvine blvd to Alton. Not too bad of a drive.

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

Yes - it's not too bad of a drive, but I just to the Marketplace instead since they have almost every shop & restaurant that Foothill Ranch has.

 

[bones]

[quote auij

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I live in Portola Springs and would love to eat / shop / watch movies in Foothill Ranch regularly but the toll is over $2.00 each way to drive the mile from Portola to Alton. In San Diego they charge variable tolls based on where you got on and got off and that would have be $0.50.

Just take ridge valley or modjeska to irvine blvd. and take irvine blvd to Alton. Not too bad of a drive.

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

Yes - it's not too bad of a drive, but I just to the Marketplace instead since they have almost every shop & restaurant that Foothill Ranch has.

Yea I hear ya. I go to marketplace too. Although if it's a wknd, sometimes I will travel to foothill ranch just to avoid the terrible parking situation at target marketplace. Also the in and out drive thru is quicker at foothill ranch.

Almost never go that direction even though it's a pretty straight shot on Irvine Blvd these days.  Too many lights and nothing unique about the the stores in that area.

We generally avoid the Marketplace but we do go to the Spectrum, District, and Diamond Jamboree quite a lot despite it being further away by distance.  Most of the traffic is just trying to get to the 5, once you get there it doesn't take much time to go to Spectrum, District or DJ.

 

[jmoney74]

I live in Portola Springs and would love to eat / shop / watch movies in Foothill Ranch regularly but the toll is over $2.00 each way to drive the mile from Portola to Alton. In San Diego they charge variable tolls based on where you got on and got off and that would have be $0.50.

Just take ridge valley or modjeska to irvine blvd. and take irvine blvd to Alton. Not too bad of a drive.

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

Yes - it's not too bad of a drive, but I just to the Marketplace instead since they have almost every shop & restaurant that Foothill Ranch has.

Yea I hear ya. I go to marketplace too. Although if it's a wknd, sometimes I will travel to foothill ranch just to avoid the terrible parking situation at target marketplace. Also the in and out drive thru is quicker at foothill ranch.

Almost never go that direction even though it's a pretty straight shot on Irvine Blvd these days.  Too many lights and nothing unique about the the stores in that area.

We generally avoid the Marketplace but we do go to the Spectrum, District, and Diamond Jamboree quite a lot despite it being further away by distance.  Most of the traffic is just trying to get to the 5, once you get there it doesn't take much time to go to Spectrum, District or DJ.

Marketplace is just missing the FOBs... that might change when Class 302 comes in.

 

[socal78]

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

That is strange. My doctor is in Woodbury Town Center at WMG. I take Alton to Irvine Blvd. At my last visit, it took me 7 minutes to get there, door-to-door, and 8 to get home (it was a weekday around noon). That is further than Portola Springs. I made the drive two times every 6 weeks for a year and it's always the same no matter the day of week as sometimes I go Saturday morning. I think Google Maps is assuming you do not drive a single mile per hour over the posted speed limit even if the road is free and clear. I used to take the 241 before Alton opened because I hate Bake but now there is pretty much no point. It's just as quick taking the side streets.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I live in Portola Springs and would love to eat / shop / watch movies in Foothill Ranch regularly but the toll is over $2.00 each way to drive the mile from Portola to Alton. In San Diego they charge variable tolls based on where you got on and got off and that would have be $0.50.

Just take ridge valley or modjeska to irvine blvd. and take irvine blvd to Alton. Not too bad of a drive.

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

Yes - it's not too bad of a drive, but I just to the Marketplace instead since they have almost every shop & restaurant that Foothill Ranch has.

Yea I hear ya. I go to marketplace too. Although if it's a wknd, sometimes I will travel to foothill ranch just to avoid the terrible parking situation at target marketplace. Also the in and out drive thru is quicker at foothill ranch.

Almost never go that direction even though it's a pretty straight shot on Irvine Blvd these days.  Too many lights and nothing unique about the the stores in that area.

We generally avoid the Marketplace but we do go to the Spectrum, District, and Diamond Jamboree quite a lot despite it being further away by distance.  Most of the traffic is just trying to get to the 5, once you get there it doesn't take much time to go to Spectrum, District or DJ.

Marketplace is just missing the FOBs... that might change when Class 302 comes in.

Class 302 and PIeology are going to definitely increase interest for me.  For all the space that it has, Marketplace has fairly disappointing restaurant.  The food court is especially meh to me.

 

[paperboyNC]

Let's say I want to go to Target. According to Google Maps:

7min, 4.8 miles Foothill Ranch via Toll Road
12min, 5.0 miles Marketplace
15min 6.7 miles Foothill Ranch via Irvine blvd

That is strange. My doctor is in Woodbury Town Center at WMG. I take Alton to Irvine Blvd. At my last visit, it took me 7 minutes to get there, door-to-door, and 8 to get home (it was a weekday around noon). That is further than Portola Springs. I made the drive two times every 6 weeks for a year and it's always the same no matter the day of week as sometimes I go Saturday morning. I think Google Maps is assuming you do not drive a single mile per hour over the posted speed limit even if the road is free and clear. I used to take the 241 before Alton opened because I hate Bake but now there is pretty much no point. It's just as quick taking the side streets.

You live in Foothill Ranch? I live in the far side of Portola Springs relative to south Irvine Blvd so I'm definitely further than the Woodbury Town Center. I drive down Irvine Blvd to Alton to go to work everyday and it takes me 5 minutes just to get on Irvine Blvd from my home.