AREA OFFICIALS PRESENT CASE FOR A.V. RAIL ROUTE : A.V. RAIL STUDY.

Byline: Jim Skeen and Patricia Farrell Aidem Daily News Staff Writers

Northern Los Angeles County would benefit more from a high-speed rail line paralleling the Antelope Valley Freeway than a proposed route along the Golden State Freeway corridor, Santa Clarita Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy told a state panel Tuesday.

Darcy, chairwoman of the North County Transportation Commission, said either route would serve the Santa Clarita Valley, but the eastern alignment made more sense for the region as a whole.

``It's the most viable alignment for the North County when you really look at it,'' Darcy said after testifying before the Intercity High Speed Rail Commission. ``There (is) a lot of growth coming in the Antelope Valley, a major international airport expansion, thousands of jobs and open land.''

The coalition's preferred route would parallel the Southern Pacific-Metrolink tracks that roughly follow the Antelope Valley Freeway from Newhall through the Antelope Valley.

Darcy argued against the Golden State Freeway route, saying that there is no potential for growth in the hilly northern reaches of Los Angeles County because of geographic constraints and weather. Wintertime storms frequently close the Grapevine section of the interstate.

Nevertheless, the commission tentatively recommended that route in August. The commission determined an Antelope Valley alignment would add 10 to 12 minutes onto a Los Angeles-to-San Francisco run. Because the route is longer, it would cost $200 million to $600 million more to go through the Antelope Valley.

Antelope Valley officials argued Tuesday that routing the high-speed trains through their region would stimulate the state's economy. The officials also argued the route would not cost as much as state officials had projected.

``I would be amazed if we didn't get that change,'' said Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts. ``We feel good about our presentation.''

The project is expected to bring up to $479 million in economic development to the North County. Much of that would be in the Antelope Valley where a full train station is envisioned. A stop would be offered in Santa Clarita, but there has been opposition voiced to building a local station because of the traffic that would result, Darcy said.

A report commissioned by the city of Palmdale states the actual cost would be $61 million more for the Antelope Valley alignment but that, given the engineering difficulties anticipated with the Interstate 5 corridor route, there is a 45 percent chance the Antelope Valley route will ultimately be less expensive.

In their presentation, Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford, Palmdale Councilman David Myers, and Roberts argued an I-5 route would create little in the way of economic growth while the Antelope Valley, they said, is ripe for commercial and industrial development.

In their presentation, Antelope Valley officials told the commission about Monday's announcement the Antelope Valley had been conditionally selected as an enterprise zone, able to offer tax credits and other incentives to attract jobs.

The presenters also told the commission about Lockheed Martin ``Skunk Works'' being selected to build the X-33, a prototype of spacecraft to replace the space shuttle. The X-33 program is expected to provide 2,000 jobs.

The Palmdale report states the number of jobs created by such a high-speed rail line ranges between 1,900 to 7,200 jobs.

``When all potential impacts of high-speed rail are considered, there is no doubt that linking the Antelope Valley to the high-speed rail system in California improves the overall viability of the system,'' the report said. ``Failing to link the fastest growing communities in California to Los Angeles and San Francisco represents a significant loss in opportunity for the state economy and for high-speed rail.''

Joining the Lancaster and Palmdale presenters in supporting the Antelope Valley route were Assemblyman W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale; and representatives of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles Department of Airports.

``My indication is they received it very well,'' said Lancaster Councilman Henry Hearns, who sat in on the hearing. ``I think we stand a very good chance.''

The nine-member commission will hold one more public hearing on the issue, Friday in Fresno, and then will make its final recommendations at a Nov. 22 meeting in Los Angeles. The commission's final report will be submitted to the governor and the state Legislature by January.

A study commissioned by the city of Palmdale suggested several reasons to pick an Antelope Valley route for a San Francisco-Los Angeles high-speed train:

$180 million to $479 million worth of economic development from businesses attracted to the rail route.

Less environmental impact than a route along Interstate 5 over the Grapevine, which would require more tunneling.

A 50 percent probability that the Antelope Valley route would draw 125,000 more passengers a year than the Grapevine route.

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