Meeting to Address Possible Transit Zone
The Los Angeles City Council Transportation Committee will hold a special meeting in Sherman Oaks today to study the feasibility and potential impacts of creating a transit zone in the San Fernando Valley.
The establishment of a separate Valley transit zone has been supported by Councilman Richard Alarcon, committee chairman, and other Valley leaders who contend that the enormous cost of building rail lines and subway tunnels has siphoned off funds needed to improve bus service in the area.
A Valley transit zone would be an administrative subsidiary that would remain a part of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, but operate under its own board, making it subject to greater local control.
Last week, the council approved a motion by Alarcon to begin an in-depth study of the idea, including drawing up specific plans to determine the zone’s borders and coming up with a blueprint for a governing board.
To form a separate transit zone, the city must first conduct complicated analyses during the next few months to show that the zone would bring significant cost savings and improve services.
Besides Alarcon, Councilmen Joel Wachs and Rudy Svornich are members of the Transportation Committee.
Today’s public meeting, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will be held at the Sherman Oaks Woman’s Club, 4808 Kester Ave.
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