$5.4 Billion in Road, Rail Projects OKd : Transportation: The bulk of the money will go to programs designed to unclog freeways and induce commuters to use rapid transit in urban areas.

Doling out the rewards of an increased gasoline tax, the California Transportation Commission on Wednesday approved $5.4 billion in new road and rail projects designed to unclog streets and freeways and nudge motorists out of their cars and into mass transit.

With few exceptions the gubernatorial commission followed the recommendations of its staff in voting to give the bulk of the money to projects in urban areas like Los Angeles County where freeway congestion has become as much of a daily irritant as smog and crime.

In the state’s population centers, the commission allotted as much money for commuter, urban and intercity rail projects as it did for road programs. Los Angeles County alone was slated to get $1.4 billion in rail projects. “This year’s program is a very heavy rail program. We’ve never had anything like it before,” said Peter Hathaway, the commission’s deputy director for finance and highways.

The rail projects included $500 million to help extend Metro Rail from the North Hollywood station to Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys and $123 million for computer rail improvements for lines from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, Los Angeles to Ventura and from Fullerton to Redondo Junction. Another $105 million was alloted for construction of a light rail line from Norwalk-El Segundo to Westchester via Los Angeles International Airport and $350 million to construct a 13.6-mile light rail line from Sierra Madre Villa in eastern Pasadena to Union Station.

Both road and rail projects were spread out over seven years in a State Transportation Improvement Program, which set a tentative date for construction to begin and the total amount the state was willing to devote to each project. Even though the dollars for each project stacked up into the millions, few were given full funding. In most cases, commissioners expect local officials either to come back in later years for more money or to match the state dollars with local dollars.

While money for the projects came from a variety of revenue sources, a gasoline tax increase and a $1-billion bond issue for rail transit approved by the voters in June enabled the commissioners to endorse hundreds of projects that had been delayed for years because of lack of funds. Motorists began paying a 5-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax increase Aug 1. The tax will go up another penny each January for the next four years.

“This is a milestone State Transportation Improvement Program because there is finally some money,” said Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco), chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Commissioners offered one note of caution, however, pointing out that their funding program counted on voters approving two more $1-billion bond issues for rail transit. If the two issues are either voted down or withdrawn from the ballot, Hathaway said, there would have to be drastic cuts in the rail transit program.

While projects costing hundreds of millions of dollars easily won commission approval, it was one of the smallest projects--$5 million to begin purchasing right-of-way for closing the gap in the Long Beach Freeway--that drew the most controversy. Although the money moves the project forward, no specific route has been designated. That awaits an environmental impact study.

Antonio Rossmann, an attorney for South Pasadena, appealed to the commission to delete the project--arguing that the money could be better used for other, more popular, road programs. For decades South Pasadena officials have objected to the construction of a freeway through their city.

Calling the project a “casualty” of years of controversy, Commissioner Bruce Nestande urged the panel to abandon it. Nestande was outvoted, however, after Commissioner Joe Levy called the project “the most important in the state of California.”

The commission will take a final vote on the transportation improvement program today, but it is not expected to change its position on any of the projects approved Wednesday.

The only matter left unresolved by Wednesday’s vote was an attempt by the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission to add more projects. Commissioners said they would consider approving the additional projects if the local officials would agree to take funds from other projects to pay for them.

Among those the Los Angeles officials wanted included in the program were projects to widen California 126 through Santa Clarita and to widen the intersection and replace a railroad crossing at Rosecrans Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard.

ROAD AND RAIL PROJECTS FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Following are road and rail projects tentatively decided by the California Transportation Commission. Projects are divided by region. LOS ANGELES COUNTY * Projects in the Los Angeles Basin: Approved:

$200 million for commuter rail service going south, east and north from downtown Los Angeles by 1993.

$10 million for 11 stations to complete Century Light Rail by 1993.

$95 million for Los Angeles Metro Rail.

$105 million to build North Coast (LAX) Light Rail extension.

$350 million to build Pasadena Light Rail extension and terminal.

$40 million for High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on Artesia and San Diego freeways near Orange County.

$15 million for ramp improvements at the Golden State and Pasadena Freeway interchange.

$60 million for miscellaneous cost increases, mostly on Century Freeway.

$25 million for miscellaneous local street and signal projects. Rejected:

$40 million to complete San Diego Freeway HOV lane through Long Beach.

$15 million for 605 Freeway HOV lanes near Orange County.

$30 million for improvements in the Alameda freight rail corridor.

$20 million for eight miscellaneous local street and signal improvements.

* Projects in the San Gabriel Valley: Approved:

$65 million to set up commuter rail service to San Bernardino by 1993.

$85 million to buy all right-of-way for California 30 freeway.

$5 million to begin buying right-of-way for the Long Beach Freeway gap in South Pasadena.

$15 million to improve existing California 30 Baseline Road through Claremont.

$20 million for Pomona and Corona freeways interchange in Pomona. Rejected:

$120 million for construction of 30 Freeway through Claremont.

$20 million for HOV lanes on the Orange Freeway.

$180 million for San Bernardino Freeway busway extension.

$5 million for three miscellaneous local street and signal projects.

* Projects in the San Fernando Valley: Approved:

$40 million to set up commuter rail service to Ventura with Glendale station by 1993.

$15 million to set up commuter rail service to Santa Clarita.

$500 million to build the Valley Transit Project.

$25 million to build Santa Paula expressway to Ventura County line.

$40 million to widen Antelope Valley Freeway near Santa Clarita. Rejected:

$30 million for Simi Valley Freeway widening to Ventura County.

$25 million for five local street and signal projects.

$162 million for additional Valley Transit Projects funding. INLAND EMPIRE * Projects in western San Bernardino and Riverside counties: Approved:

$70 million for cost increases on Barstow Freeway south of Riverside.

$100 million to set up commuter rail to Los Angeles and Orange County by 1993.

$50 million to widen two sections of the Pomona Freeway in Moreno Valley and Riverside.

$30 million to help sales tax program buy all right-of-way for the California 30 Freeway.

$65 million to finish the Pomona/Corona freeways interchange and widen Pomona Freeway eastward. Rejected:

$30 million to widen Palms Highway from Perris to Lake Elsinore.

$50 million to build first section of California 30 Freeway through Claremont.

$50 million to widen Barstow Freeway through San Bernardino. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DESERT * Projects in parts of Imperial, northern Los Angeles, eastern Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties: Approved:

$15 million for cost increase on the California 58 Barstow bypass.

$35 million for two sections of California 80 expressway near Coachella and Brawley.

$10 million for California 7 to a new border crossing at Mexicali.

$10 million to widen California 178 west of Ridgecrest.

$15 million for California 14 expressway north of Mojave at Red Rock Park. Rejected:

$25 million for two expressway sections on California 111 in Imperial County.

$35 million for California 58 expressway at Kramers Four Corners.

$25 million for widening on California 14 to Escondido Summit.

$5 million for improvements near Palmdale. SOUTH COAST * Projects in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties: Approved:

$45 million for three interchanges on U.S. 101 at Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara.

$30 million for an interchange on California 1 south of Oxnard.

$10 million for cost increase on U.S. 101 widening through Santa Barbara. Rejected:

$45 million for U.S. 101 interchange east of Oxnard.

$30 million for Simi Valley Freeway widening through Simi Valley.

$30 million for widening U.S. 101 in Carpinteria. SAN DIEGO COUNTY Approved:

$40 million to set up commuter rail service to Oceanside by 1993.

$90 million to build two San Diego Light Rail extensions and start two more by 1993.

$170 million to complete four extensions to San Diego Light Rail.

$65 million for improvements to the light rail and commuter rail lines.

$90 million for Interstate 15-40th Street freeway. $25 million to help build the California 125 freeway through Lemon Grove. Rejected:

$35 million to complete 125 Freeway through Lemon Grove and north of La Mesa.

$120 million for 5/805/56 freeway interchange. ORANGE COUNTY Approved:

$40 million for commuter rail services to Riverside and Los Angeles.

$45 million to widen Artesia Freeway through Santa Ana River Canyon.

$40 million to buy more right-of-way for Santa Ana Freeway widening through Anaheim.

$5 million more toward California 73 San Joaquin Hills toll road.

$155 million in cost increases for widening the Santa Ana Freeway in Tustin and Santa Ana. Rejected:

$100 million for further right-of-way for the Santa Ana Freeway widening through Anaheim.

Source: California Transportation Commission