Good News for Trestles!

Its good news this morning for environmentalists in California, the foothill-south toll road has been dealt a fatal blow. The Department of Commerce announced today that it would uphold the California Coastal Commission's decision! Basically, this means that it is illegal under both federal and state law to build a toll road through San Onofre State Park. In a release issued from the Department of Commerce, they "determined that there is at least one reasonable alternative to the project and that the project is not necessary in the interest of national security."

For those of you not familiar with the long disputed project, The TCA (Transportation Corridor Agency) proposed to continue highway 241 south from its current end at Oso Parkway to the I-5 near San Clemente. Here is a map for any one not familiar with the area. The highway's completion was touted as reducing the congestion on the I-5 and as an alternative for Orange County residents. However, the reality was that the proposed plan would have been built directly along San Maeto Creek. According to the Surfrider Foundation "the project would also result in the obliteration of Southern California’s last remaining pristine coastal watershed and substantially degrade habitat that is critical for the survival of at least seven endangered species, including the Southern Steelhead trout."

What I love most about this story is that opponents of the 241 continuation project did not gain momentum from this fact. Instead, popularity was generated from a Southern California institution. Surfing. The 241 extension road project would have directly threatened the world class surf break at and around Trestles. This simple fact started a grass roots movement of unrivaled popularity. Save Trestles became the battle cry and today it is these advocates we have to thank. They saved a beautiful region of our state from unnecessary desecration and I personally hope they take this day to celebrate their achievements!

Be sure to visit Surfrider's save trussels website, the non-profit that has worked tirelessly to win this fight. And if you are interested in reading the TCA's plan click here.