What is the Santa Ana Mountain Tunnel?

Current discussions on alleviating traffic congestion on the 91 Freeway include an 11.5-mile tunnel from Interstate 15 near Cajalco Road in Corona to the 241/133 interchange in Irvine. The tunnel's construction would require $8.6 billion in local, state and federal funds, and is one of several alternatives and combinations being considered. In addition to the dangers inherent in crossing three faults, and digging a tunnel where groundwater conditions are uncertain, there will be significant impacts above ground. The tunnel construction would require air vents and emergency access roads. The rock and dirt removed to make the tunnel could fill Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, five times! Construction would run 24-hours a day, 365 days a year and benefits wouldn't be seen till 2030. And it would only serve a meager 57,000 cars per day in a region with 5 million residents (as of 2030). It would be a toll road, ranging from $5 to $20 each way. Notably, the tunnel would require equipment, machines and components that are so advanced in order to withstand the groundwater pressures and so on, that they have not even been invented yet! Impacts to the National Forest, several watercourses, residents and local highways would be unprecedented. Join Waterkeeper in opposing the Irvine-Corona Expressway.

Links to More Information

• Press Enterprise article, "Corona-Irvine Tunnel nixed" (Aug. 27, 2010)
  
  
• North County Times article, "REGION: Study says tunnel feasible but costly" (Jan. 27, 2010)
  
• Download the Executive Summary of Feasibility Analysis for Tunnel (Dec. 11, 2009)
  
• Download our Presentation to Local Leaders on Why We Should Not Support The Tunnel, and instead Protect the Temescal/Elsinore Valleys (PDF, large) **contains spectacular photos**
  
  
• JOIN THE LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN! We have drafted for you three template letters expressing the concerns of the community against this project, and their suggested solutions based off a public survey conducted in the spring of 2009. The three major players at this time are, Riverside County Transportation Commission, the City of Corona, and the Orange County Transportation Authority. Send them a letter today!
  
  Easiest way: CLICK ON THIS LINK http://cacoastkeeper.org/take-action/speak-out/7 TO SEND OUT ALL THREE LETTERS AT ONCE.
  
  Download letter to RCTC (English): Word (38KB) AND NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH (PDF, 77KB)
  Download letter to City of Corona (English): Word (34KB)
  Download letter to OCTA (English): Word (31KB)
  
  
• Press Enterprise artcle (1/14/09), "More study urged for Corona-to-Irvine tunnel plan"
  
  
• Press Enterprise article (11/14/08), "Corona-to-Orange County tunnel appears feasible after early tests, officials say" but we will wait to see the results this December before deciding whether or not that is true.
  
  
• OC Register article, "Engineers OK Riverside County - O.C. tunnel" in regards to the results of borings to test viability of a Metropolitan Water District 10- to 12-foot diameter water pipe from Lake Mathews to Irvine. Cost ranges from $680 million to $770 million with construction lasting more than 7 years.
  
  
• Public scoping letter for Special Use Permit from U.S. Forest Service (PDF, 591 KB) and map of approximate borehole locations (PDF, 3,466 KB). Comments/questions/data to U.S.F.S. by March 21, 2008.
  
  
• Make a donation to Inland Empire Waterkeeper to help continue our mission:  http://www.iewaterkeeper.org/iewaterkeeper/get-involved/donate.asp
  
  
  How You Can Help
  We recommend that interested persons should get on the project contact list by sending a joint email to both FChavarria@octa.net and JStandiford@rctc.org indicating your interest in the Irvine-Corona Expressway project.
  
  Please also check the following three websites often:
  Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) at www.rctc.org/91roca.asp
  Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) at www.octa.net
  Riverside Orange Corridor Authority (ROCA) at www.octa.net/abetter91roca.aspx
  
  To read a recent article in Popular Mechanics detailing the proposed project, click here.
  

[BACK TO TOP]