SIMI VALLEY : Widening of Road Nears Completion

The expansion of Olsen Road to four lanes at the Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley city limits is expected to be finished by the end of April, the Simi Valley director of public works said Wednesday.

The director, Ron Coons, said the Wood Ranch developer who is widening the road in both cities expects it to be finished this month.

The Thousand Oaks City Council agreed Tuesday to pay the $30,000 needed for the grading, paving, striping and landscaping costs of the expansion on its portion of the road.

In 1987 Simi Valley had rejected a Thousand Oaks proposal to widen Olsen Road because it was concerned about traffic diversions from the Ventura Freeway-widening project, according to a report from John Clement, Thousand Oaks director of public works.

In late 1989 Simi Valley approved a development permit for a day-care center on Olsen Road, on condition that the developer make road improvements on the Simi Valley side. Simi Valley agreed to have the developer improve the Thousand Oaks portion of Olsen Road only if Thousand Oaks funded the improvement, Clement said.

“It worked out to be a very good arrangement,” Coons said. “The cities are working well together.”