CYCLING ROLLING AHEAD BETTER FACILITIES PLANNED IN T.O.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - Bicyclists with wish lists of what they want in Thousand Oaks can bring them to two brainstorming workshops, including one tonight.

The city's consultant will incorporate some of the ideas into a Bicycle Facilities Master Plan outlining what the city already has, identifying needs and listing possible projects for expansion.

The workshop will be held from 6 to 8 tonight at the Cameron Center, 288 Green Meadow Ave., Thousand Oaks. A second workshop is planned for May 18.

``There are three different groups out there that use the bike system,'' said Kathy Lowry, a city traffic engineering associate. ``We want to make sure we plan a system for all three - commuters, serious bicyclists and recreational users.''

Thousand Oaks resident Lance Christensen, who rides 11 miles to work in Agoura Hills, said the city's system is pretty good but could always be better.

``There are some areas with very nice bike lanes and other areas with no bike lanes, but the lanes are wide enough to ride comfortably,'' said Christensen, a member of The Conejo Valley Cyclists. ``But then those areas transition to these areas that are very difficult to get through and are uncomfortable, dangerous.

``So I guess the thing I am most concerned with is making connections.''

The city's 50-mile bicycle transportation system consists of three loops - in the core of the city, in Newbury Park and in the Thousand Oaks portion of Westlake Village.

Lowry said planners are looking at connecting the system to Green Meadow Avenue south of the Los Robles Greens golf course, an improvement that would allow recreational cyclists to travel easily from Newbury Park to Moorpark Road.

``It would allow the recreational user to go south of the city without having to go over the freeway,'' Lowry said. ``The commuters and serious bicyclists are experienced and know how to go over the freeway.''

The plan is expected to take five months to complete, with construction of some of the recommendations beginning in the fall.

Willdan Associates in Ventura is being paid $64,080 to compile the master plan, Lowry said. The money comes from city revenue from fees developers pay to offset traffic congestion and air pollution.

The projects in the final plan will be listed in order of importance and financed with a federal grant of $625,000 secured by Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills.

``Whatever is first on the list, the money will go toward that,'' Lowry said. ``If there is money left over, we will go to the next project.''

Lowry said completing a master plan also could make the city eligible for state grants to fund bicycle facilities.

``The goal of the master plan is to take the public's input and craft a plan that can be implemented,'' she said. ``So we really need the public to tell us what they want.''

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Photo: (color in Conejo edition) A bicycle rider pedals around a curve Wednesday on Pederson Road in Thousand Oaks.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News