Late Backing for Double-Deck Plan Split Trolley Panel

In the final week, a few members of a route-selection committee switched their support to a plan to build a light-rail line above the Ventura Freeway, deadlocking the panel and leading to a two-route endorsement that has been criticized as a failure to decide, several committee members said Friday.

The increased support for the Universal City-to-Warner Center freeway rail line proposal came at the expense of a controversial North Hollywood-to-Warner Center route along Chandler and Victory boulevards.

Until a week ago, the Chandler-Victory route had been favored by a slim majority of the committee. Proponents were confident of getting their proposal to the Los Angeles City Council with a favorable recommendation.

But a presentation by state Department of Transportation officials a week ago convinced some committee members that an upper deck on the freeway could carry both a light-rail line and lanes for car pools and buses.

“It was a close vote to begin with,” said a committee member who would speak only if he was not identified. “When a couple of people wavered, then a dual recommendation was all that was left, so we could live to fight it out another day.”

Dual Predictions, Also

Before the vote, proponents of both the Chandler-Victory and freeway routes predicted that further study by the council or by county officials would increase support for the route they favored.

The two-route recommendation was approved 19 to 12. Most of its opponents favor a route from Sylmar to downtown Los Angeles that was eliminated last week.

The City Council was hoping to break a deadlock on selecting a Valley route when it created the San Fernando Citizen’s Panel on Transportation Solutions in March. Council members acted after the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission in November halted consideration of Valley routes in response to growing homeowner opposition to all routes.

Commissioners, who are building a countywide network of light-rail systems, have warned Valley officeholders that they will switch funds to projects elsewhere unless a Valley route with wide support is recommended to them by Sept. 1.

Several council members expressed disappointment Friday that the 32-member committee, scheduled to meet Thursday for the last time to write a final report, was unable to agree on a single route.

‘I Was Hoping’

“Their charge was to pick a single route,” said Councilman Marvin Braude, whose district includes Encino and part of Sherman Oaks. “I was hoping they would do the job and reach a consensus.”

Council President John Ferraro, who represents part of North Hollywood and is a longtime supporter of a light-rail line along the Ventura Freeway, said he too had hoped the committee would be able to pick a single route.

“We on the council are going to catch heat on this,” Ferraro said, “but I guess we will now have to make the decision.”

If the council is unable to agree, he said, “I guess we could just send the report over to the commission the way it is.”

With the issue apparently headed back to the council, leaders of homeowners’ groups who have packed the committee sessions in recent weeks with angry rail opponents vowed to step up their efforts to block both routes.

“It’s now clear that this committee was packed from the outset, and we have no choice but to fight harder,” said Tom Herman, a committee member who also heads a North Hollywood-based coalition that in recent years has twice turned out crowds of nearly 700 to protest the Chandler-Victory route.

Like the freeway-route opponents, those fighting Chandler-Victory say a light-rail line will bring noise, vibration, visual pollution and congestion to residential neighborhoods.

150 Protesters

About 150 sign-waving freeway-route opponents attended Thursday night’s committee meeting--the first time in recent years that a large number turned out to protest that route.

Encino homeowner leader Gerald A. Silver, an opponent of both recommended routes, said the turnout was generated through direct mail, adding, “Now that we have a mailing list, we will turn out ever larger crowds until the politicians listen to us.”

He acknowledged, however, that there was no evidence that the freeway opponents had changed any votes on the committee.

The endorsement of two routes was approved by all five committee members appointed by City Councilman Joel Wachs, by all three named by Braude and by the two appointees each of Ferraro and Councilman Michael Woo. All three appointees of Mayor Tom Bradley also voted to support the dual-route endorsement.

It was opposed by Councilman Ernani Bernardi’s four appointees and Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky’s two appointees. Councilwoman Joy Picus’ appointees split 3 to 2 in favor of the two-route recommendation. Councilman Hal Bernson’s appointees voted 4 to 1 against endorsing two routes.