GRANTS TO SMOOTH TRANSIT COUNTY TRANSIT AGENCY BUDGETS $18.7 MILLION FOR REGIONAL PROJECTS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley scored well in the MTA's call for projects, lining up grants totaling $9.9 million for the region's transit agency, $7.3 million for Lancaster projects, and close to $1.5 million for Palmdale projects.

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board recommended funding for Antelope Valley projects that will include improvements to the Avenue I/Antelope Valley Freeway interchange, a pedestrian overpass in Palmdale and the construction of a new transit headquarters.

``We did quite well,'' Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts, an MTA board member, said Friday. ``I'm absolutely elated.''

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority will receive $9.9 million in grants, with $5.5 million going toward a $21 million project to construct a new headquarters and maintenance building. The $4.4 million balance will be spent on 11 commuter buses, three of which will replace current, aging vehicles.

AVTA is looking to move from its existing facilities, 2.5 acres at 10th Street West and Avenue L-12, to 16 acres near Sixth Street West and Avenue M, adjacent to the Los Angeles County Fire Department training center. Construction could begin in mid-2002 and take about a year to complete.

The MTA approved $5.3 million for modifying the Antelope Valley Freeway/Avenue I interchange. The $8.1 million project, which is in the preliminary study stage, would improve flow of traffic coming off the southbound off-ramp and add lanes to Avenue I.

The MTA also approved $1.5 million toward a $2.1 million effort to landscape most of Lancaster's freeway interchanges.

The third Lancaster grant is for $500,000, which will be used in a $650,000 effort to add three miles of sidewalks to the city's major streets. The new sidewalks would fill in gaps between existing sidewalks.

The biggest grant for Palmdale was for $606,000 to design and construct a pedestrian crossing over the railroad tracks at Avenue Q, linking a planned transit center with the nearby Hammack Youth Center and the Children's Library.

Palmdale also will receive $412,000 to continues its program of providing bus shelters and benches.

An additional $300,000 will pay for landscape and other improvements along the Sierra Highway corridor.

Palmdale will receive $180,000 to provide staff and information kiosks at the proposed transit center to assist commuters which such information as bus and Metrolink schedules.

In addition to the money going directly to Antelope Valley entities, other grants were awarded that will improve transportation for area residents. The MTA approved $31.8 million to construct additional car-pool lanes on the Antelope Valley Freeway between Pearblossom Highway and Avenue P-8.

MTA also allocated $21.8 million for car-pool lanes at the junction of the Antelope Valley and Golden State freeway, and $2.6 million to straighten out curves in the Metrolink tracks in the Santa Clarita Valley.

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The Avenue I off-ramp improvement project is slated to get $5.3 million from the MTA.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer