COUNCIL PAVES OVER DISPUTE : IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE CITYWIDE.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Gridlocked two days ago by a proposal to spend $573,000 to pave over 37 unused rail crossings in the San Fernando Valley, the City Council found unanimity Friday by coming up with $1.6 million for similar projects in the rest of the city.

Councilman Marvin Braude, who represents a swing district that crosses the Santa Monica Mountains, said the acrimony over funding projects in the Valley showed just how low relations had sunk in the City Council.

But Valley Councilwoman Laura Chick and Councilman Mike Hernandez, who represents an inner-city district, put aside their bitter personal clash and called the trade-off in funding projects citywide a positive step toward better relations in the council.

``I think the most important lesson is that we are one city at this point in time, and that what the work of the City Council has to be about is to make sure that the important needs of the entire city are met,'' said Chick.

Added Hernandez: ``My complaint was why are we doing it in one area and not in another. This way we did something that benefits the whole city.''

The action was taken with little discussion and a pledge by council members to try to be more collegial.

But the chain of events left several council members shaking their heads over the increasing lack of comity in a council fractured by parochialism.

``The relations are worse than they have been in a long time,'' said Braude. ``I am hopeful that reason will prevail and civility will be restored.''

The railway crossing issue was only the latest point of contention in an ongoing debate at City Hall over whether the Valley gets more or less than its fair share of city services.

Hernandez, who had opposed the Valley projects Wednesday, said he got what he wanted Friday - which was for the entire city's transportation needs to be addressed, not just those of one part of the city.

Chick said she was glad a compromise could be worked out, saying it will improve the quality of life for Valley residents who have faced traffic hazards, car damage and congestion because of deteriorating rail crossings that are no longer used.

``It means that we will now have smooth sailing over what was once very bumpy roadway,'' Chick said.

Under the Valley program, which is getting 80 percent of its funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city will remove 37 unused rail lines that cross east-west over major streets and will pave over the lines to improve traffic and safety.

Non-Valley council members complained that the proposal bypassed their districts, which also needed to remove unused rail crossings.

The solution was to move onto the Friday agenda the approval of $1.6 million already awarded the city by the MTA to remove rail crossings in east and central Los Angeles, including along the Pasadena Rail Line.

Chick said the conflict could have been avoided if non-Valley council members had worked with their colleagues to look for ways to expedite funding for central and east Los Angeles.

``Today is what should have happened on Wednesday,'' Chick said.

The councilwoman said some council members did not understand that the Valley projects were just the first phase of a program that would eventually serve the whole city.

Chick suggested that emotions were raised by distrust that has lingered from past geographic disputes.

Such disputes seemed to escalate two years ago during the fight over the Valley receiving the bulk of recovery funds after the Northridge Earthquake.

``It's an example of distrust and rancorous feelings preventing people from seeing issues as they really are,'' Chick said. ``One lesson to be learned is not to let some lingering bad feelings from other issues cloud our rational thinking and our ability to get the facts and information straight in advance.''

Hernandez said he will continue to object when he believes one portion of the city is unfairly getting resources not provided to other parts of the city.

``To me, if it looks totally one-sided it's going to be questioned, especially if members have similar needs in their districts,'' Hernandez said.