County Outlines Road Priorities for Sales Tax Increase

If Ventura County voters approve a half-cent sales tax for road construction in November, the Ventura County Transportation Commission said, one of its first priorities will be to build a connector link for the Simi Valley and California 23 freeways through Moorpark.

In a draft ordinance released Friday, the commission named top priorities for road projects to be funded with the tax.

The priorities also include the widening of California 126 from Fillmore to the Los Angeles County line and improvement of the Saticoy Bridge over the Santa Clara River.

The commission also places priority status on the realignment of the Pacific Coast Highway away from congested Oxnard Boulevard and farther east along Rice Road. That project, however, is not on the state’s list of projects and may take longer to complete, said Mary Travis, Transportation Commission senior planner.

Other high priority projects for the county include the widening of the Ventura Freeway to the Santa Barbara County line; widening of the Simi Valley Freeway to the Los Angeles County line; widening Lewis Road, California 34, from the Ventura Freeway to the Simi Valley Freeway.

Portions of the state highway projects would be reimbursed by the state Department of Transportation, but those percentages will be negotiated, Travis said.

“But in the meantime, we’d get these desperately needed projects without having to wait for Caltrans to come up with the money,” she said.

Caltrans has had lengthy delays involving its county construction projects.

The Ventura County tax, an extra half a cent on every dollar in addition to the state’s 6% sales tax, would raise $25 million per year, or $500 million over 20 years, the life of the tax.

An estimated $1.35 billion is needed for projects countywide, Travis said.

Because many of the projects planned with the funds have long been on state and county lists, most planning and preliminary work is complete.

Projects could begin as early as 1991, Travis said.

In its draft ordinance, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and a majority of the county’s 10 cities, the Transportation Commission outlined priorities for funding as well as distribution of the tax money among jurisdictions in the county.

The commission plans a series of 14 public workshops over the next two months at locations around the county to hear what citizens want for their roads, Travis said.

If public reaction is generally positive, the commission will take a ballot measure proposal to the 10 city councils in the county, as well as the Board of Supervisors.

If the majority favors the project, the commission will place the measure on the November ballot.