Reduced Funds Approved for East Line Plans

A U.S. House and Senate conference committee Thursday approved $9.3 million in federal funds to help build an East County extension of the San Diego Trolley.

The amount approved is more than the $8.1 million suggested in a previous House appropriations bill, but significantly less than the $18.5 million approved by the Senate. The conference committee met to reconcile the two versions.

Rep. William Lowery (R-San Diego) blamed the compromise on a congressional “backlash” against California because Los Angeles is seeking $1 billion to being construction on its Metro Rail system and Santa Clara County in Northern California is also seeking mass transit funds.

“I am disappointed,” Lowery said. “I would have preferred to split the difference. I think that the committee looked at California and saw that half of the money could be going there. They weren’t about to budge and allocate more.”

Lowery said representatives of San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit Development Board had indicated that if $18.5 million were approved, they would request no further money from the government’s “new start” funds to complete the extension to El Cajon, which is expected to cost $87 million. New start funds are used for new mass transit projects.

“Today’s decision may require us to come back to the government to ask for additional funds to complete the project,” Lowery said.

But in a statement released Thursday, MTDB Chairman James R. Mills said, “While this is less than the amount MTDB sought, it will likely be enough to build a light-rail transit line all the way to El Cajon.”

Originally, MTDB requested $40 million in federal funds. Congress had already appropriated $11.3 million. The $9.3 million for fiscal 1986 brings the total federal contribution to $20.6 million.

The full House and Senate must still ratify the conference committee’s recommendation, and President Reagan must sign the legislation. The Urban Mass Transportation Administration then must approve the East Line project.

The 11-mile East Line extension would start at Euclid Avenue and go east, running parallel to Highway 94 and passing through Lemon Grove, La Mesa and El Cajon. It would be an addition to the 6.2-mile line running from the Santa Fe Depot downtown to Euclid Avenue, a trolley segment that is scheduled to open in March.