Funds Acquired for Local Road Projects

Ventura County congressmen have obtained much-needed funding for local road-improvement projects as part of a massive transportation bill approved by the Senate late Friday.

But the money they finally secured was less than the nearly $41 million the county was set to receive when the bill was approved by the House of Representatives last month. How much less was unclear late Friday.

Nevertheless, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) said he was pleased to obtain money for projects in his district, including $1.25 million for street and highway projects in Thousand Oaks and $625,000 to complete the city’s bike path plan.

The bill, which is expected to be signed into law soon by President Clinton, includes $6 million to secure land and build trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. It also includes $466,000 for road work in Oak Park, and $10.5 million for widening California 23--less than the $14 million the House had included for the project.

“Ventura County did very well, believe me,” Sherman said. “On the [California] 23, I was backup singer to Gallegly.”

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) could not be reached for comment Friday, but an aide said the bill included $27.3 million in funding for his district.

That includes $16.8 million to improve the Ventura Freeway-Rice Avenue interchange leading to the Port of Hueneme. The bill had included $22.4 million to improve port access when it was approved by the House.

The Senate had cut the projects submitted by House members by 25% to add some of their own, Sherman said.