FEDERAL FUNDS EN ROUTE; STATE FUNDING IFFY SMOG FIGHT TO GET $8 BILLION LIFT.Byline: Phillip W. Browne Staff Writer The federal government has approved Southern California's sweeping $210 billion blueprint for transportation, pledging $8 billion to help reduce smog over the next two years, officials announced Tuesday. But the plan remains at risk because of proposed cuts in the state budget, which could potentially leave the region with too little money to achieve the smog-cutting goals. ``Ultimately, the larger plan may have to come back for amendments, depending on the state budget,'' said Jeff Lustgarten, a spokesman for the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Association of Governments. ``Even though the feds made an affirmative determination on the conformity of the project, it could all come back for a revisit later this year if we don't get the proper funding from the state.'' Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German pronunciation (IPA): [ˈaɐ̯nɔlt ˈaloɪ̯s ˈʃvaɐ̯ʦənˌʔɛɡɐ] has proposed cutting $1 billion from the overall statewide transportation budget to help offset a $14 billion deficit for fiscal 2004-05. H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the state's Department of Finance, said Schwarzenegger is working on a plan to bolster transportation funding. He continues to renegotiate the state's agreements with Indian gaming tribes, which could generate $1 billion for next year's budget and generate ongoing income of up to $500 million. ``If those negotiations are successful, the governor has made a powerful policy decision that those dollars will be spent on transportation,'' Palmer said. `We think there is a substantial possibility for that to occur.'' The 2004 regional transportation plan known as ``Destination 2030'' is revised every three years to outline transportation planning Transportation planning is the field involved with the siting of transportation facilities (generally streets, highways, sidewalks, bike lanes and public transport lines). for Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Ventura, San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. , Orange, Riverside and Imperial counties. For the first time, the plan calls for land-use decisions to help solve transportation problems. For instance, it encourages high-rise, mixed-use office and residential developments near freeways and public transit routes - like along Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. and the 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. - to help reduce congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. by having people live closer to where they work. ``The general idea of the plan is to reduce congestion and air pollution by revamping transportation,'' Lustgarten said. ``That includes looking at aspects like car-pool lanes, mass transit, finding ways to shorten commutes and changes in land use policy.'' Phillip W. Browne, (818) 713-3707 phillip.browne(at)dailynews.com |
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