'SEAPORT' TO MOVE INLAND? BIG RIGS WOULD CLOG FEWER URBAN ROUTES.

Byline: SUE DOYLE

Staff Writer

Seeking a solution to L.A.'s congested freeways, a county official has proposed creating an "inland port" in the Antelope Valley where big rigs would pick up goods transported there by rail instead of driving to seaside ports.

The idea by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich is aimed at shifting a significant chunk of the 22,000 daily truck trips to and from the seaports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to the county's rural outskirts on the 5, 14 and 15 freeways.

Goods would be hauled on existing train tracks from the seaports to an Antelope Valley "inland port" transfer station, where they would be loaded onto trucks bound for markets nationwide.

"An 'inland port' would reduce truck-related congestion and pollution throughout the county," Antonovich said.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board -- on which Antonovich has a seat -- is exploring the inland transfer-station idea along with other plans to move products through the county's highways, railways and ports as part of a statewide program to increase commerce while creating as little pollution as possible.

The money for the ambitious plan could come from a $20 billion transportation-bond measure approved by voters last year. Of that, about $2 billion is up for grabs for projects such as the inland port. The plan might also be eligible for some of an additional $1 billion set aside for air-quality programs.

The California Transportation Commission will divvy up the money this year after state lawmakers decide what kinds of projects qualify.

Site still tentative

The inland port is also under consideration for the eastern edge of the San Gabriel Valley, but the wide-open spaces of the Antelope Valley make that region a more attractive prospect, said Michael Cano, Antonovich's transportation deputy. An exact spot for the facility hasn't been determined.

Willie Cook, who hauls truckloads of produce and meat between Nebraska and L.A., said a port in the Antelope Valley would provide tremendous relief from his long trip to the oceanside ports, where there's little room to park his rig or stay safely overnight.

"It would be so nice if we didn't have to drive to L.A.," Cook, 61, said as he walked his dog at a truck stop in Castaic.

The inland port could spark economic growth for the region by creating a new industry and jobs for residents, Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said. The proposal includes connecting the 14 and 15 freeways via a high-speed route that could link airports in Victorville and Palmdale, making the facilities bigger players in the movement of goods.

"We certainly have lots of room," Ledford said. "This could make us more competitive."

About half the goods coming into the L.A. and Long Beach seaports stay in Southern California, said Theresa Adams Lopez, spokeswoman for the Port of Los Angeles.

The rest is hauled back to stores and warehouses across the country -- leaving the state to pick up the tab for the wear and tear from 18-wheelers on roadways and leaving commuters to sit in gridlock.

And with activity at both ports expected to increase as overseas trade keeps growing, the highway traffic will only get worse without a project such as the transfer station.

With money from the 2006 bond measure still hanging in the balance, Antonovich will also look for financial support from state and congressional leaders. He's also considering other techniques to pay for the freeway connections -- from truck tolls to public-private partnerships.

In addition, Antonovich wants to establish a federal freight trust fund that could be generated by money coming into the ports and going directly to roadway improvements and expansion, Cano said.

Road funds dwindle 

Currently, money to build roadways comes from the federal Highway Trust Fund, financed by a gasoline tax. Officials say the fund is dwindling because Americans are driving more fuel-efficient cars and filling up less often at the pump.

Still, to truck driver Patrick Zurakowski, driving in L.A. traffic is simply part of the job, although he admits having a new "port" in northern Los Angeles County would make the trip smoother.

"It would be easier not to drive to the ports in L.A.," he said. "But somebody is going to still have to do it."

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com

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Proposed 'inland port'

Warren Huskey/Staff Artist