Antonovich Backs Regional Monorail Line : Transit: The subway opponent says his plan would avoid tunneling and save money to build links to other communities.

Meeting at Universal City with transit leaders from Orange and San Bernardino counties, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich on Thursday proposed linking the San Fernando Valley monorail line he favors to similar lines throughout the region.

Antonovich said a monorail system would avoid costly subway tunneling and free up enough rail construction money to build an “integrated transit system to serve Southern California communities.”

Antonovich’s proposed monorail line along the Ventura Freeway from Universal City to Canoga Park is one of three rail plans addressed in an advisory measure on next Tuesday’s primary ballot in the Valley.

The other two options would use all or part of the Southern Pacific railroad’s Burbank Branch right of way, which crosses the Valley from North Hollywood to Warner Center.

Those alternatives are a westward extension of the downtown Metro Rail subway from North Hollywood to the San Diego Freeway, and a light-rail line in a shallow trench from North Hollywood to Warner Center.

Voters also will be able to vote for construction of no rail line at all.

Antonovich, a longtime foe of subways, said “money already wasted on Metro Rail could have financed a monorail system that would be operating today along approximately 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles to Universal City.”