Laguna Niguel Rail Station Dealt Double Blow : Transportation: City officials learn that another $1 million is needed for storm drains at the project site and that a $1.4-million state grant has been eliminated.

Plans for a $6.2-million South County light-rail station are being threatened by unexpected construction costs and the reported loss of critical state funding.

Laguna Niguel officials have learned that an additional $1 million will be needed to upgrade storm drains at the station site. And officials said they have been told that the newly adopted state budget eliminates a $1.4-million transportation grant to build the station.

The double blow would at least seriously delay the project, which is designed to put commuters on light-rail cars and relieve congestion-choked Interstate 5.

“It’s highway robbery for the state to take away transportation funds after they’ve raised gasoline taxes to pay for these kinds of projects,” said City Councilman Mark Goodman, a former transportation aide to County Supervisor Thomas F. Riley. “Significant losses like this could put this station off for years.”

The station planned near Forbes Road and Avery Parkway was strongly supported by city officials in the Saddleback Valley and by the Orange County Transportation Authority, which pledged $1.6 million toward construction. City officials wanted to begin construction by year’s end.

It would be one of four South County stops along an 11-mile light-rail line running from San Clemente to Irvine. Stations already exist in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Irvine, and the new Laguna Niguel facility would serve a large population in the Saddleback Valley.

About $3.3 million in grants had been raised to pay for the first phase of station construction. Laguna Niguel officials planned to tap other state and federal sources to pay the rest of the building costs.

But after learning that another $1 million is needed for storm drains at the site, city officials doubt that there is public support for dipping into city revenue to help build the station.

“Those of us involved in the station have entered with the idea that it be exclusively funded by grant sources,” said Laguna Niguel City Manager Tim Casey. “None of us have expectations that it will be done with city funds.”

Officials also found out from the state that the Legislature has taken $130 million from the state’s Transit Capital Improvement Fund to help balance the budget. The Laguna Niguel station was to receive money from the fund.

Now cities throughout California, including Laguna Niguel, must compete for $15 million remaining in the fund.

With major construction work on the El Toro “Y”--where Interstate 5 splits into the Santa Ana and San Diego freeways--expected to start this summer and last until 1996, any delay on the Laguna Niguel station project will be bad for commuters, said city officials.

“South County cities need to push for regional transportation solutions,” Goodman said. “This station is an integral part of the Metrolink system,” a new rail program that will add several trains to the San Diego-Los Angeles line.

Laguna Niguel Councilwoman Janet Godfrey said it would be “very, very sad if we lost the rail station. There are people here who would like to work in Los Angeles, and this station would help.”

Despite the setback, Mission Viejo City Engineer Dennis Wilberg said it would be a mistake to give up on pursuing new funding. He is also hopeful that the state grant is not lost for good.

“It’s possible we might get some of (the $15 million), or there might be an attempt to fund the grant from another state program,” Wilberg said. “The budget is so complicated, it’ll take several weeks before it all shakes down.”

He believes that the station remains important enough to receive a high priority for funding.

“We’re the eternal optimist over here; we’re not giving up yet,” Wilberg said. “If the prediction is correct and we do lose (the state grant), I’m not inclined to give up on the station. Ultimately, we can get it built.”