Congress Restores Alameda Corridor Funds : Spending: Conferees reallocate $53 million for the project even though some of the money hasn’t been spent in the 13 years since it was appropriated.

More than $53 million in federal highway funds earmarked for a giant rail and truck line that would link Los Angeles County’s ports and rail yards was saved Wednesday when Washington budget-cutters decided to restore the money and keep the project on track, even though some of the money was appropriated 13 years ago but never spent.

Senate and House conferees also voted to restore money for 10 other California highway projects totaling an additional $27 million.

The restoration of the unspent funds marked the end of a hurried weeklong campaign by some members of the California delegation, along with local elected officials, to get funding back for the projects. The largest among them--and most important to Los Angeles--is the so-called Alameda Corridor project, a $1.8-billion rail and truck line linking the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with the county’s rail yards.

Although the money was earmarked long ago--$11 million in 1982, $42 million in 1987--it was never spent. Those who defended the tardiness in moving forward said the project had not been a high priority and that local matching money was only recently available to fully fund it. They also said they never thought an attempt would be made to take the money back.

But U.S. Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands), the only Californian on the conference committee that decided the fate of the money, said he hoped those involved in the project would move forward quickly and spend the money or risk having it taken away.

“It will be available for a reasonable period of time,” he said. “We are certainly urging them right now to go forward.”

Gil Hicks, executive director of the Alameda Corridor Authority and one of those who has urged that the money be spent, said the decision by Congress should be taken as a warning that the projects need to be completed. “This is another strong message that we need to use it or lose it,” he said.

The conference committee voted to restore not only California’s funds but all of the $140 million in highway funds that could have been cut throughout the nation. Going into the conference session, the Senate bill had recommended all of the cuts. The House version did not include the elimination of any highway funds. Ultimately, the committee went with the recommendation of the House bill.

California Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, who personally delivered letters to conferees last week asking for the restoration of the funds, said the decision Wednesday helped “save this essential early funding for a project that is vital to Southern California’s economic future.”

“While this was a close call, I’m glad we preserved this funding and hope that we can build on this momentum,” she said.