MAYOR'S PLAN FOR GRIDLOCK VILLARAIGOSA INTRODUCES TRANSIT TEAM, RAIL PLANS.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

Acting on his promise to tackle L.A.'s brutal gridlock, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa got to work Wednesday with grandiose plans to win money to build new rail lines, alongside immediate small fixes to make traffic move more easily and buses serve passengers better.

The mayor cautioned that the region's traffic and transit problems can't be fixed during the eight years he's afforded under term limits, but he pledged to bring all his passion and intensity to the issue and set in motion a bold plan that will shape L.A. for decades to come.

``What we have to do is have a vision for a world-class public transit system. We've got to build a consensus around that vision, put a plan together and fund that plan.

``It won't be overnight ... But it's going to be a lot faster than it's been in the past.''

To make his point as he prepares to take the helm of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board, Villaraigosa rode a Metro Gold Line train to Union Station, where he introduced his all-star team of transportation appointees as the ``best and brightest'': Councilman Bernard Parks and San Fernando Valley secession leaders David Fleming and Richard Katz, who championed the east-west busway and have long records of involvement in transportation issues.

He also pledged to take public transit once in a while - and nudged car-conscious Angelenos to do the same.

``If the mayor can get on the bus or train from time to time, so can the rest of us,'' he said.

``This is a very important role and I intend to bring the same energy and commitment to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that I'm bringing to this city as mayor. I will work tirelessly to improve traffic and public transportation in the city of Los Angeles.''

Villaraigosa, who's been on the job for less than one week, turned the spotlight on transportation, which is a cornerstone of his agenda along with education and public safety.

His MTA appointees - along with Jaime de la Vega, appointed as deputy mayor for transportation issues, a similar role to the one he played in the former Mayor Richard Riordan's administration - won praise for their depth of experience on transportation issues.

``It's a very strong team,'' said Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, also an MTA board member. ``They're all problem solvers and realists, and I think it will help move the agency forward.''

``It just shows the mayor is serious about addressing transportation in a very positive manner,'' said Michael Cano, transportation deputy for Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

MTA chief Roger Snoble called the appointees ``all great choices.''

The quick and strong focus on transportation was held in contrast to outgoing Mayor James Hahn, who was criticized for lackluster leadership at the MTA, where the mayor gets three appointees to the 13-member panel that handles a $2.8 billion countywide transportation budget.

Villaraigosa will head to Washington, D.C., in coming weeks to try to carve out a greater share of funds for Los Angeles in the massive, multiyear federal highway bill now pending before Congress. Southern California has long complained that it gives more to the federal government in gasoline taxes than it gets back in funding.

He wants to lay the groundwork for expanding MTA's rail system while also improving buses, which he called the backbone of the system.

But in the meantime his staff is already getting started on ``common sense'' strategies like halting roadwork during rush hour.

Fleming pointed to doable strategies - like limiting rush-hour truck traffic as well as on-street parking - that could be accomplished soon.

``There's no one silver bullet that's going to cure congestion, but there's a lot of little things we can do, and cumulatively they can make a huge effect,'' said Fleming, the longtime head of the Valley Economic Alliance who served on the California Transportation Commission during the 1990s.

But the mayor and his appointees were mindful that fixing gridlock will take not only money, but time, and much of his agenda will be to set the city on a course for mass transit and highway improvements in the future.

``He does not expect to fulfill this in four to eight years,'' said Parks, who ran against the mayor during the primary before ultimately supporting him during the runoff.

``But he will lay down a game plan that will be followed for the next several decades to make sure we will have a city and a region that's going to be less dependent on vehicles and more on public transportation.''

``We have a mayor with the vision thing,'' said Katz, who led the Assembly Transportation Committee for a decade. ``Antonio is going to lead the way, and we're here to help him.''

The top priority for seeking federal funds is the Exposition light-rail line from downtown to Santa Monica, which is next up on the MTA's building list.

Other high priority projects include the 101-405 freeway interchange and other highway and freight-moving projects.

Villaraigosa said only after money for the Exposition line is sought will the MTA board begin to debate the subway and other rail extensions he pushed for during the mayoral campaign this spring.

``The goal right now is to secure as much funding as possible for a region that is without question the most congested in the nation, and it's just not getting its fair share of federal funds,'' Villaraigosa said.

``We need to secure the funding for these projects so that we don't set up a house of cards.''

Lisa Mascaro, [phone]

lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa takes a trip on public transit, riding the Red Line to the Civic Center on Wednesday.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer