Palmdale OKs Park-and-Ride Lots : Commuters: The two Caltrans-owned sites will accommodate several hundred vehicles.

Palmdale city officials voted Thursday to clear the way for the construction of two new park-and-ride lots that will ultimately provide 563 more parking spaces for hundreds of Antelope Valley commuters.

By a 5-0 vote, the council approved plans for a two-acre, 213-car park-and-ride lot near Sierra Highway that will cost $195,000. It also voted to proceed with construction of a four-acre, 305-space lot on Avenue S west of the Antelope Valley Freeway at a projected price of $1.3 million.

Caltrans, which owns both parcels, will allow use of the Sierra Highway land at no cost but the agency will lease the Avenue S land to Palmdale for $550,000. The remaining $750,000 cost of the Avenue S lot will be spent on street improvements and lights.

“As soon as we build these two lots, they’ll fill up on the first day,” said Douglas J. Dykhouse, Palmdale’s deputy director of public works. “As funds become available we’ll have to build more lots.”

In January, 1992, the city opened a 624-space lot at Avenue S east of the Antelope Valley Freeway. It was anticipated that it would take six months for the lot to be used to its full capacity. City officials, however, said 900 cars are being parked there now, utilizing dirt roads leading to the lot.

The city will work with Caltrans on the construction of the new lot situated south of the city, adjacent to Sierra Highway and the Antelope Valley Freeway.

Under an agreement with Palmdale, Caltrans will contribute $195,000 to the construction budget. If Caltrans pays the money to the city before May 5, the construction award will go to C. A. Rasmussen of Simi Valley, which will build the lot. Palmdale will contribute $35,000 for costs associated with project management, design and construction administration, Dykhouse said.

After the 213-space lot is completed, possibly in late summer, Caltrans will operate and maintain the facility.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is a partner with Palmdale on the second proposed park-and-ride facility. The four-acre site, at Avenue S and Geiger Avenue west of the Antelope Valley Freeway, will accommodate 350 cars. The lot will also have a bus shelter, a ride-share loading and unloading area, and 24-hour security.

The work will be financed with $700,000 from county sales taxes for transportation projects. The city will put up $50,000 in matching funds from Air Quality Improvement fees.

City officials project construction to begin in January, 1994, and the Avenue S lot to open in May, 1994.