November
6,
2003
CONTACT:
Ed Scannell/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-2703/922-2700 www.metro.net/press/pressroom
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MTA Seeks Further Public Input on Transportation Improvements for North Los Angeles County
Antelope
Valley open house to update community on SR-138 study
(Los
Angeles) - MTA will host an open house meeting in Antelope Valley on Nov. 13 to
solicit public comment regarding much-needed transportation improvements for the
State Route 138 corridor. Identified in a Locally Preferred Strategy, the
improvements include upgrading the route from I-5 to San Bernardino County and
developing a new east-west route that links Antelope Valley with San Bernardino
County.
The
open house is the latest in a series of meetings that have been held as part of
MTA's North County Combined Highway Corridor Study (NCCHCS), which is aimed at
developing feasible, implementable and cost-effective solutions for alleviating
traffic congestion and improving safety on North County's transportation
system.
Open
house information is as follows:
City
of Lancaster
Presentation
of the SR-138 Study
Fire
Station #129
42110 6th Street West
Thursday, November 13, 2003, 5:30
- 8:30 p.m.
At the open house MTA will
present several recommendations including the addition of lanes and conversion
of SR-138 into a divided expressway from I-5 to SR-14, completion of
improvements to SR-138 between Pearblossom Highway and the San Bernardino County
line, and addition of new express bus routes along SR-138 connecting Antelope
Valley to Victor Valley and truck climbing lanes to SR-138 in San Bernardino
County.
The
public is encouraged to attend the open house to speak with MTA and study staff,
submit comments and provide feedback about the strategy, which is aimed at
improving inter- and intra-regional travel.
The
North County Combined Highway Corridor Study is key to maintaining and promoting
the economic vitality of the region, which continues to experience tremendous
growth in both population and traffic. A multi-agency and multi-modal planning
project led by MTA, the study began in August 2001 and initially focused on
highway and transit improvements along I-5 and SR-14, two corridors running
north-south across North Los Angeles County to the Kern County line.
Work
on the second part of the study commenced in May 2002 and is examining
multi-modal alternatives for the SR-138 corridor running east-west across the
region from I-5 to the San Bernardino County line.
After public comment is
received in November, MTA will undertake another "project scoping" process
with North County business leaders and community members, as well as with rural
town councils and the city councils of Santa Clarita, Palmdale and Lancaster, to
collaboratively develop the North County Corridor Plan. MTA will integrate the
findings and community input from Part I (I-5/SR-14) and Part II (SR-138) of the
study over the next several months.
In
late March 2004, final open houses will be held in the Santa Clarita and
Antelope Valley areas to present these integrated results along with an
implementation plan to the local communities and stakeholders. The final plan
for North County transportation improvements will be submitted to the MTA Board
for review and approval in July 2004.
MTA-172