Local News in Brief : Countywide : Questionnaires to Be Handed Out to Drivers

Beginning Wednesday, Orange County motorists can look forward to one more freeway delay--in this case, a survey about traffic.

As part of a traffic and revenue study for proposed toll roads in Orange County, 500,000 questionnaires will be handed out between April 27 and May 26 at on-ramps to all freeways and major arterial highways in central and southern Orange County.

At seven different sites each day, motorists will be stopped and given questionnaires asking, for example, where their trip began, their destination, how often they use that route and how many people ride in the vehicle.

Some drivers will be asked to complete the questionnaire on the spot.

“The survey will help us determine expected traffic volumes, number of lanes, location of ramps and basic design features of the three corridors,” said Susan Marzec, spokeswoman for the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which oversees the Foothill, Eastern and San Joaquin Hills freeway projects.

The group raises money through developer fees and government funding to build the freeways, which are still in the design stage. Tolls may also be used.

Temporary stop signs will go up each day on the selected on-ramps without advance notice, Marzec said. If traffic backs up too far, motorists will be waved through and only a few stopped, she said.