Political Tangle Stalls Funds for Highway 78

A federal bill that would have provided $12 million to help widen traffic-clogged California 78 has stalled with the collapse of congressional negotiations on highway finance legislation.

However, the chief congressional sponsor of the road-widening project remains optimistic that the plan is not dead.

Funds for the local highway were included in a bill that derailed last week after a House-Senate conference committee, mired in substantive and political disagreement, failed to reach a compromise on the legislation.

But an aide to Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad), a key booster of the highway widening project, said it appears certain that the bill will be revived next year and the chances for passage are good.

“We were disappointed,” said Nancy Mason, the congressman’s chief of staff. “Obviously, this is one the congressman worked long and hard on. But we’re optimistic the effort was not all for naught. And we are optimistic we’ll get movement in at least the first six months of next year.”

The federal money would have helped pay the estimated $30-million cost of widening the highway from four to six lanes. The route meanders 16.5 miles from the coast to Escondido.

Packard and other Republicans have blamed partisan politics for collapse of the massive highway-funding bill. They contend that Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) helped block the bill in hopes that it can rewritten after next week’s election.

If Democrats gain control of the Senate, Bentsen would become chairman of the committee that controls highway legislation, and could play a bigger role in shaping the measure.

A spokesman for Bentsen denied the GOP claims, saying the bill was sidetracked because there were profound differences between the House and Senate versions.

Packard’s electoral opponent, Democrat Joseph Chirra, has complained that the congressman is using Bentsen as a scapegoat for his failure to get the project financed.

“This has become a typical pattern for Mr. Packard--to blame others for his failures,” Chirra said.

Once a relatively uncrowded route, California 78 in recent years has becomes North County’s busiest, as hospitals, shopping centers and subdivisions have sprouted along it. The number of cars using the highway has skyrocketed, peaking at 80,000 on an average weekend. By the year 2005, that number should climb to 112,000, according to officials at the San Diego Assn. of Governments.

Traffic accidents have jumped as the volume has increased, rising 30% in 1985 compared to an 8% increase for all of North County.

With that in mind, Packard began a push for the federal funds more than a year ago. Under his plan, California 78 was declared a “demonstration project,” thereby making it eligible for the $12 million in federal highway money.

The state would pay half of the remaining $18 million of the project’s $30-million cost and San Diego County, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside and Carlsbad would come up with the rest.