SANTA PAULA : Council Supports Rail Line Purchase

The Santa Paula City Council gave its backing Monday to a joint bid for $10 million in federal funds to purchase a railroad corridor through the Santa Clara Valley for possible use as a bicycle path and commuter rail line.

Without comment, the council approved the request by Santa Paula, Ventura and Fillmore, together with Ventura County and the county Transportation Commission, for federal money that is managed by the state.

If approved, the $10 million would be enough to buy a 100-foot-wide corridor consisting of 380 acres from east of Piru to the main line in Ventura, land that is now owned by the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. The city of Fillmore has already spent $1.7 million to buy a portion of the railroad line, which brought Ventura County its first passenger rail service when it opened in 1888.

Although the application is not due in Sacramento until late May, state transportation officials familiar with the corridor plan have already praised it in private talks, said Norman S. Wilkinson, Santa Paula’s public works director.

“In the long run--perhaps within eight or 10 years--there is a distinct possibility we will have commuter rail service on the corridor,” Wilkinson said.

Before then, the five jurisdictions involved would probably construct pedestrian and bicycle paths in the corridor.

Wilkinson called the bicycle and pedestrian path a “very attractive proposition” that would rival the Ojai trail in popularity.

“The rail corridor is the only alternative to the shoulder of Highway 126 for bicycle and pedestrian traffic through the length of this valley,” Wilkinson said.