Legal Challenge Planned to Transfer of Toll Lanes

Critics of a $274-million transfer of the Riverside Freeway toll lanes to a nonprofit group are planning a last-minute assault to try to derail the deal.

“We need to block this thing, hold it up somehow, until we can have a thorough examination,” Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster said Friday. “We need to assure ourselves that this is not some sweetheart deal, paying an exorbitant price to these sellers.”

Buster plans to ask fellow Riverside supervisors Tuesday to go to court to prevent the sale of up to $274 million in bonds to finance the sale. He also wants to send letters asking Gov. Gray Davis and local lawmakers to intervene.

Buster and others are suspicious of ties between the consortium of companies that wants to sell the toll lanes and NewTrac, the nonprofit group willing to buy the lanes.

Documents show that the current toll lane owner, California Private Transportation Co., came up with the concept of selling its franchise agreement to a nonprofit group, then identified candidates to serve as the group’s board.