Bradley Asks Panel for Metro Rail Funds : Transportation: Mayor is in Washington to lobby for 6.7-mile second phase of the project. He seeks $185 million from House subcommittee.

Bolstered by President Bush’s inclusion of Metro Rail funding in his proposed 1991 fiscal year budget, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley asked a key House subcommittee Tuesday for money to keep the subway’s construction on schedule.

Bradley, Los Angeles county transportation officials, members of the House from Southern California and Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) requested $185 million from the transportation subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee for the second phase of the subway system designed to run from downtown Los Angeles to North Hollywood.

The funds would help construct a 6.7-mile portion of the line, extending from Wilshire Boulevard and Alvarado Street west to Western Avenue and Wilshire and north to Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood.

County Transportation Commission officials later expressed confidence that Congress would continue its past practice of providing most of the money requested for Metro Rail. Although Congress has agreed to pay $667 million for the subway’s second phase, specific allocations still must be approved in each year’s budget.

Embarking on the first of three days of lobbying in the capital, Bradley found himself in the unusual position of requesting less money than the $285 million Bush included in his budget blueprint. Former President Reagan, in contrast, did not provide any Metro Rail funds in his proposed budgets. The funds were added later by Congress.

“After a period of eight years when we had no support from the Administration . . . and we always had to count on the Congress to rescue us,” Bradley said, “at least today we are faced with a new Administration which has made a commitment to transit.”

The $185 million is the amount needed to keep construction on schedule and a more realistic sum to request, said LACTC Executive Director Neil Peterson. Bradley said the city expects to seek another $150 million in the 1991-92 fiscal year.

At the same time, Bradley asked the transportation subcommittee to oppose Bush’s proposal to eliminate mass transit operating subsidies for urban areas with populations of more than 1 million, including Los Angeles.