CITY TO GET MORE U.S. TRANSIT FUNDS.

Byline: Angela M. Lemire Staff Writer

A boost in federal funds this year will bring Santa Clarita Transit closer to building a new maintenance facility to accommodate tremendous growth in its bus fleet.

U.S. Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, announced to city officials at the current facility in the Valencia Industrial Center that the city will receive $750,000 more than projected this year toward a new facility, bringing the total federal contribution this year to $2 million.

The additional money, signed into appropriations by President Clinton on Monday through the 2000 Omnibus Act, will supplement the $1.25 million that McKeon secured in the Transportation Appropriations Act in October.

The latest appropriation brings total federal funds to date for the project to $4.25 million. Land acquisition, project design and facility construction is projected to total $31.5 million, but assuming an 80 percent federal match to the city's 20 percent contribution, the city would end up paying $6.3 million. The federal funds announced Thursday would reduce the city's share further, according to city transit officials.

``A new facility is badly needed due to the increased numbers of passengers using Santa Clarita Transit,'' McKeon said. ``It's great we were able to get $2 million (this year). Next year we'll try again for more.''

City Transportation Manager Ron Kilcoyne said the city is narrowing its search for a new facility to four sites but declined to reveal them because of ongoing negotiations and land studies. A site might be selected by late winter, he said.

A 10.6-acre site is needed to accommodate the 54,000-square-foot building for maintenance, administration, repair bays, maintenance shops, storage and fueling; 18,000 square feet for administrative offices; 7.8 acres for bus parking, on-site circulation and employee parking, and 2.8 acres to meet city planning setbacks, landscaping and design requirements.

The new facility would eliminate the current need for three separate transit storage areas and accommodate growth that's projected to double Santa Clarita Transit's current fleet of 72 vans and buses by 2010, Kilcoyne said.

City officials say the existing 30-year-old transit depot is inadequate because it shares space with the city's Field Services Department; is not designed as a maintenance facility; accommodates just 36 to 40 vehicles at a time; has limited storage areas and no inspection pits, fueling stations, vehicle lifts and automated washing equipment.

Councilwoman Laurene Weste said a new facility would save the city roughly $1 million on expenses accrued annually for off-site upkeep and by consolidating three separate bus depots into one storage and maintenance site.