NEW FUNDS TO FILL BIKEWAY GAPS; T.O. FOLKS EVENTUALLY WILL BE ABLE TO PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO L.A.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

As roadways increasingly clog with cars and trucks, pedal power may be the better way to get anywhere.

Now with $1 million in bike path funds secured by Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, seven miles of paths will be constructed in Agoura Hills and Calabasas to fill gaps in the regional bike path system. Eventually, if bicyclists so choose, they could bike from Thousand Oaks to Los Angeles.

``These kinds of bike lanes are so important, to get people out of their cars, to cut down on traffic congestion (and) to help clean up the air,'' said actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr., who biked a portion of the way to a Friday morning news conference that also drew state and local officials and bicyclists to Agoura and Liberty Canyon roads.

``There are so many reasons why it's good and you get this great exercise,'' said Begley, who lives in Studio City and bikes to work and errands, tallying about 30 miles a day. ``It's a modest amount of money when you consider other transportation options, like rail above ground, and below ground rails or freeway lanes, or any of those kinds of things. You get so much bang for the your buck.

``Keep in mind bicycling is the most energy-efficient form of ground transportation, according to Scientific American and every study,'' said Begley. ``There are no other forms of ground transportation that will take you 30 miles on a bowl of rice or an ear of corn.''

The planned bike paths will fill the gaps in the regional bike lane route that stretches from the Calabasas boundary with Los Angeles to the edge of Ventura County and into Thousand Oaks.

The project involves building seven miles of bike lanes by widening existing roads by eight feet, so as not to cut into vehicular traffic lanes.

``We are not taking any territory away from automobiles or giving them away,'' said Sherman.

Sherman said the completed bike path will allow residents, especially teen-agers without cars or driver's licenses, the ability to access such area locations as the new Community Center on Agoura Road, due to open in November.

Sherman lobbied the Transportation Committee which in a 1998 bill allocated $650,000 for Agoura Hills and $750,000 to Calabasas for transportation projects.

Calabasas will build 3.75 miles of the bike route at a cost of $877,000, being funded through federal and local dollars. City Transportation Director Robert Yalda, who came up with the idea of closing the gaps in the bike lanes four years ago, said he hopes to have its portion of the route completed in April.

Agoura Hills will use its entire share of federal funding, along with state funds, to build 4.25 miles of the bike route in two phases at a total cost of $2 million. Agoura Hills Mayor Dan Kuperberg said plans are to begin building the route in April and finish by July.

``It's absolutely fantastic,'' said Woodland Hills bicyclist Joanie Henderson. ``This is what we need.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1 -- Color in Simi and Conejo only) U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman shows a map of the regional bike path system connecting Agoura Hills and Calabasas to the San Fernando Valley. The $1-million, project is to fill seven miles of gaps in the existing pathway. Work is expected to start in April 2000 and finish the following July.

(2 -- Ran in Simi only) Actor Ed Begley Jr. arrives at the Friday news conference by bike. Begley said he bikes about 30 miles per day.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News