The State Route (SR)-125, a widespread highway that is ten miles long and stretches through Otay Mesa Road to SR-54, has been discussed to close in early 2027 by the Chula Vista City Council. However, the closing is not confirmed due to the fees that the toll road has including a 182 million dollar debt that needs to be paid off.
For most Chula Vista residents, this decision benefits them by reducing the burden for the city’s businesses of having to pay a fee. The article “Chula Vista City Council seeks to end SR-125 tolls”, written by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) member Jasmine Ramirez, states that “the council says the existing tolls places a disproportionate burden on South Bay drivers and has a negative impact on businesses.” The 125 toll road is heavily dependent on businesses funding it, harming local businesses as they pay an estimated additional ten million dollars on top of their revenue for the road to pay for the debt.
Essentially, the SR-125 causes inconvenience for Chula Vista residents and local businesses with its toll fee. The toll road also closed potential local businesses, due to the lack of customers and their support from local residents. The article “Chula Vista Mayor: ‘We’re the only ones being asked to pay for a toll road” written by CBS 8 journalist La Monica Peters, over 84 percent of the tolls ended many of Chula Vista’s businesses—which is why the city council is so impetuous to get rid of the toll road. With this in mind, both business owners and Chula Vista residents would find more benefits with closing the SR-125.
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) originally purchased the toll road in 2011. Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas explains that they had bought it out of bankruptcy, using bonds that were funded by the Chula Vista City Council. This allowed them to cut down their massive debt with Chula Vista residents paying for 30 million dollars a year towards the debt. However, over the years residents and businesses have slowly stopped paying for the road, further increasing the debt.
Salas further states that if Chula Vista City Council goes forward with closing the toll road, SANDAG will have to make the executive decision on whether or not it will benefit communities. This decision will be difficult to make, as Chula Vista will continue to have to pay off years of debt. Regardless, with residents not paying the toll road, long-term detrimental effects will be expected as more debts will have to be paid off.
In the article A push to end South Bay’s only toll road on State Route 125 by 2027, Clemenston confirms that a common issue with residents not wanting to pay for the road is due to drivers avoiding to pay the SR-125. These costs can range from one to five dollars—which can add up overtime. However, residents not paying the toll fee causes Chula Vista to experience economic suffering without a helping hand, which takes longer to close the road.
Ramirez states that the annual toll revenue is 40 million dollars for Chula Vista and local businesses are paying more than 30 million dollars a year towards the toll road. This affects businesses in the long run where they lose money for their business itself, losing their customers over time. Local business corporations are suffering in money which is why they are so persistent in either relocating their business or avoiding paying for the revenue.
The occurring issue with the toll road places burdens among residents as they feel there is such a disadvantage to having the road. Having the toll road creates an undesirable use of a road as it consumes many of Chula Vista’s money. If residents and businesses are not wanting to pay for the SR-125 due to its expense, the toll road is unnecessary, as residents would use other roads that are available.
The demand from local Chula Vista residents and local businesses to end the toll road has brought attention to the Chula Vista City Council, as claiming it will improve the economic development of the city. Overall, SR-125 creates an inconvenience to Chula Vista through the toll fee that does not benefit the city. By giving more urgent attention to this issue, it is crucial for the city council to understand and close the toll road for the betterment of Chula Vista.
