ARNOLD, ANGELIDES ABOARD ON DIAMOND LANE FOR HYBRIDS.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

California's superstar governor and his top critic in Sacramento have set their differences aside to support an issue sure to please traffic-weary, eco-minded commuters: They want to open up the carpool lanes to increasingly popular hybrid vehicles.

On Thursday, state Treasurer Phil Angelides and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged their support for AB 2628, which would put solo drivers of the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Honda Insight in the fast lane.

The two found common ground despite personal acrimony as Angelides - who's eyeing the governor's job in 2006 - has consistently lashed out at Schwarzenegger's proposals for fixing the state's record budget problems.

``Even though the treasurer and the administration don't see eye to eye on issues, one thing they do agree on is the need to clean up the air,'' said Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, who authored the legislation. ``We can get by some of the politics and work together.''

Angelides - who has a Web site devoted to monitoring the state's budgets and policies - said he still differs with the governor on a range of issues but was glad to come together on this one.

``When I have issues with the governor, it's been on values,'' the state treasurer said. ``On those matters I will disagree, and where we have agreement we'll get things done.''

Schwarzenegger - who, despite his Hummer-driving ways, in fact owns an environmental vehicle - wanted to promote hybrids and saw the legislation as a way to do it.

``It's a nonpartisan issue,'' said Terry Tamminen, Schwarzenegger's pick to lead the California Environmental Protection Agency. ``There's no Ds or Rs next to our children. If Gov. Schwarzenegger was here, I know he would compliment all of us with one word: Fantastic.''

Environmentalists mostly lauded not only the proposed legislation they hope will boost demand for the hybrids - which can get double the gas mileage of standard cars and produce fewer smog-causing pollutants - but also the new partnership they hoped would lead to more environmentally friendly initiatives.

Car-pool lanes are reserved for cars with at least two, or in some cases three, people - as well as mass transit and motorcycles. Sometimes called diamond lanes, they stand as the last bastion of free-flowing traffic on many Southern California freeways that are virtually gridlocked during rush hour.

The legislation introduced by Pavley would allow hybrids that get at least 45 miles per gallon to use the state's 1,112 miles of car-pool lanes.

This means the Prius, Civic Hybrid and Insight would qualify, but the new Ford Escape, the hybrid SUV going on sale this summer, would not.

About 5,500 solo drivers of compressed natural gas and electric vehicles already can use the car-pool lanes, but Pavley's legislation would open up diamond lanes to the 20,000 hybrids now on the road - up to 75,000 by 2008. Drivers would apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for a sticker.

Caltrans would analyze traffic flow once the program hits 50,000 cars to make sure the lanes aren't getting congested.

Environmentalists hope the incentive will boost the sale of hybrids - already popularized by celebrities who rode in them to the Academy Awards last month as well as by the hit cable show ``Curb Your Enthusiasm,'' whose creator and star, Larry David of ``Seinfeld'' fame, drives a Prius on the show.

``The obsession with over-sized gas guzzlers is accelerating our pollution and health problems, and further snarling traffic,'' said Laurie David, the HBO star's real-life wife who is a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

``Hybrids are a solution that exists today,'' she said. Later she conceded that she, too, drives a hybrid. ``It gets you there with half the gas, half the pollution.

``Opening the diamond lanes to hybrids is a small but sweet reward ...,'' she said. ``Diamonds are a hybrid's best friend.''

The automotive industry also welcomed the proposal that turns a spotlight on its latest attempts to market an eco-friendly alternative - which still captures only a tiny fraction of the U.S. market.

``In Southern California you can't ask for a better incentive than being able to drive in a car-pool lane with one person,'' said Toyota spokeswoman Nancy Hubbell. ``It's essentially a get-out-of-jail-free card.''

The Coalition for Clean Air is taking a neutral position on the legislation, hoping to make portions of it more strict. Still, the group praised the new Sacramento partnership.

``We have real problems. We have a budget that's breaking, air-quality deadlines looming, somebody's got to break the mold and get past all the drama,'' said the group's policy director, Todd Campbell. ``Schwarzenegger may be the man.''

Lisa Mascaro, [phone]

lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com