More Funds OKd for Transportation Center

City officials have learned that the second half of a $1.19-million federal grant to fund a transportation center has been approved.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), in announcing that the money had been granted by the U. S. Department of Transportation, said Wednesday he hopes that people will take advantage of the center when it’s built.

“You’ve got an emphasis on getting people to try to use something other than personal transportation and this is what makes it practical,” Sherman said. “It’s not New York City where you take the elevator down to the subway. You need a place to park to either join somebody in a carpool or get public transportation. This is especially necessary for those in the Conejo Valley who have long commutes.”

The city, which has been looking into building a center for several years, expects construction to begin in April or May, according to Tom Pizza, the city’s engineering division manager of capital projects.

Baker Hogan Houx, a Westlake firm, is designing the project, which will be on the eastern side of the Rancho Road off-ramp from the Ventura Freeway.

The city received the first portion of the grant a year ago.

Currently, the property is a gravel lot that accommodates 220 cars, but when it is transformed into a center, Pizza said, it will be paved, lighted and landscaped, and there will be three new bus bays, about six bicycle lockers and up to three covered shelters for people.

The overall cost is expected to be between $1 and $1.5 million, he said.

“Hopefully, it will facilitate transportation and help reduce congestion,” Pizza said. “People can carpool more, use public transportation and make it more convenient for themselves. The idea is to promote those uses.”