BERNSON VOICE OF VALLEY TRANSIT; OFFICIAL SEEKS AREA'S SHARE.

Byline: David Bloom Daily News Staff Writer

Councilman Hal Bernson - the Valley's lone MTA board member - says he will fight hard to get a fair share of mass transit funds.

Named this week by Mayor Richard Riordan to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, Bernson said in an interview that the Valley generates $125 million in transit sales taxes every year but gets back too little.

``We need to get some agreements that are favorable to the Valley,'' Bernson said. ``I think we have to get the MTA to start thinking about giving the Valley better consideration.

``Everybody else has been taken care of, and we're still waiting.''

Bernson, who has represented the northwest Valley since 1979, has a long background in transportation and planning issues on the council. He serves on the Local Agency Formation Commission, which would resolve secession issues, and on the Southern California Association of Governments, which oversees regional planning and transportation issues.

He also is a member of the board of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, which runs Metrolink commuter trains - a pet project of his.

``Hal understands there's a need for a comprehensive system that includes rail for the long-distance commuters and an improvement of the bus service with a capacity equal to heavy rail to move people within the area,'' said Nate Brogin, vice chairman of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

``It's not one vs. the other. He's open-minded to effective solutions.''

Bernson recently proposed a Metrolink route along the Valley's south side, but not necessarily on the MTA right of way along Burbank and Chandler boulevards, the route that has broad support.

The councilman was criticized for being divisive, potentially driving yet another wedge in the rickety Valley consensus for the Burbank-Chandler route.

``I don't care who does it, as long as they can run an efficient system,'' he responded.

Bernson said he has opposed county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich's recent proposals to get a rail line built in the Ventura Freeway.

``I don't want to deviate and dilute the direction we're going in,'' Bernson said.

Bernson said the Valley needs to rethink what transportation system it wants and to force MTA planners to listen.

For too long, he said, the region was an afterthought in those planners' minds, as they focused on getting commuters to jobs downtown. But most Valley residents are going to destinations within the Valley, rather than downtown. They need a system that will move them around the area cheaply, quickly and comfortably, Bernson said.

``They (MTA) haven't thought out the Valley's needs,'' Bernson said.

``You may not need to run a 43-passenger bus every hour down the street,'' he said. ``Maybe smart shuttles and vans can do a better job for less money. In some cases, it's proven cheaper for us to pay for someone to use a taxi in the middle of the night. We need to take a look at the whole complex situation.''

Bernson said he is open to reviving long-dead ideas, such the Whitnall Freeway, a highway linking Calabasas and Santa Clarita, reducing traffic by 20 percent along the Ventura Freeway. Yet another idea might be to double-deck freeways to add extra lanes for car pools or other limited-access uses.

In his role with SCAG, Bernson has supported staff proposals for a three-tier bus system that uses shuttles to get people to shopping and nearby jobs in ``community centers.''

Larger buses would run along arterial roads. And very large buses, using dedicated roadways, would connect those centers for fast, longer-haul rides.

SCAG's regional council, on which Bernson serves, this week backed that system as part of a broader strategy to ease congestion over 20 years.

Bernson said there's little doubt that a better thought-out regional transportation plan is needed, using more buses, more Metrolink trains, better freight-hauling capacity with rail and truck-only highway lanes, and other tactics.

``If we don't do it, we may have to look at some drastic measures, like allowing people to drive their cars on alternating days, or requiring car pools,'' Bernson said. ``If we don't do something, we aren't going to be able to move.''

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Photo: Councilman Hal Bernson is the only representative from the Valley on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's governing board.

Phil McCarten/Daily News