Ten years down the Canyon Road

More than 10 years later, it has begun.

It may seem like a long time, but compared to the Village Entrance

project, organizers have moved at lightning speed to start work on

Laguna Canyon Road.

Residents still in the throes of battling the Laguna Laurel

development reacted with trepidation when talk about messing with the

road -- making it bigger and even moving it -- became an issue. There

is wildlife out there, and it’s our job to protect it. The Laguna

Laurel development project was defeated, thank goodness -- what a

tragedy that would have been.

After that, the changes to the road became more palatable to

interested parties.

They were, after all, talking about making one of the most

dangerous roads in Orange County a bit safer. There aren’t many who

can drive down that road at night without their pulse at least a

little elevated by fear.

As the plans were made more concrete by the Laguna Canyon Road

Consensus Committee (albeit a bit illegally -- what’s a little Brown

Act violation between friends?) even the environmentally astute were

in support.

Plans were waylaid by the bankruptcy. The project was initially to

begin in 1996 and completed in 1997. The bankruptcy put it on hold.

Finally, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the ground was broken (once they were

able to get the ceremonial spikes into the ground).

Now it begins: 3.9 miles of existing road will be realigned, 1.5

million cubic yards of dirt will be removed and 38,000 tons of

asphalt laid.

The roadbed will be moved west of the natural lakes in the canyon

-- designed to eliminate flooding and pollution. It seems to be a

positive plan.

Let’s hear it for a safer canyon -- and let’s hope the project is

undertaken with as little disruption to the environment as possible.