SHUTTLE TO BEACH, MOUNTAINS STARTS SATURDAY MANY STOPS ALONG THE ROUTE.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS - A new shuttle bus service is scheduled to start running Saturday to carry weekend hikers, bikers and beach-goers across the Santa Monica Mountains and along the coast from Malibu Lagoon to Zuma Beach.

An introductory fare of $1 per trip will be offered through 2005, with children under 5 riding free.

The ParkLINK shuttle is also free to Los Angeles-area bus riders who have a Metro Day Pass from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

``We're off and running,'' said Woody Smeck, superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, who will join other officials in a dedication ceremony on Saturday.

``The ParkLINK shuttle is all about increasing access options for users to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area without increasing parking and further impacting the natural and cultural resources of these sites.''

The new service allows visitors who are dependent on public transit to visit National Recreation Area sites, some for the first time, officials said.

Other visitors will be able to park their cars at a number of sites along the route and ride to ideal spots for sun bathing, surfing, hiking, bicycling and picnicking.

Residents of the San Fernando, Conejo and Simi valleys can drive to shuttle stops at Malibu Creek State Park in the Calabasas area and Paramount Ranch and the Peter Strauss Ranch in the Agoura area.

Smeck will join the director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the district superintendent for the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the dedication at 10 a.m. Saturday at Malibu Creek State Park.

The shuttle is sponsored by the National Park Service, the state parks department, the conservancy and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.

Rorie Skei, chief deputy director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, said the new service is a good example of how the various park agencies are working together.

``The ParkLINK shuttle is an innovative and exciting way for more Southern Californians to learn about and enjoy the Santa Monica Mountains resources at their doorstep,'' she said.

``I think the shuttle will make it very attractive for families to get a preview of what parks and trailheads there are to visit. We're expecting a lot of repeat ridership, especially since the buses go down to the beach.''

The project was set up with a grant from the National Park Service.

``In partnership with our sister agencies, this shuttle system concept was developed to reduce air-quality impacts and parking demand while improving the accessibility of recreational and educational opportunities,'' said Smeck.

The bus route includes Malibu Canyon Road, Pacific Coast Highway, Kanan Dume Road and Mulholland Highway.

Along the way, the buses will stop at a number of spots, including Malibu Creek State Park, Tapia Park, Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Solstice Canyon, Zuma Beach, Peter Strauss Ranch, Paramount Ranch and two Backbone trailheads (Kanan Road and Malibu Canyon Road).

Officials suggest a number of possible trips, including Zuma Beach for a connection to the Point Dume shuttle, to the restaurants and shops at Malibu Village, or to the Backbone Trail for mountain biking or a very strenuous one-way hike connecting to the shuttle at another location 13 miles away.

There is also the Adamson House museum at Malibu Lagoon, the old Western town movie set at Paramount Ranch, the gardens at Peter Strauss Ranch, a waterfall in Solstice Canyon and the picnic area at Tapia Park.

In July, the ParkLINK will begin a 12-hour schedule to match the additional daylight, running from about 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., but normal hours of operation will be about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For the shuttle schedule, users can check www.parklinkshuttle.org.

Inauguration of the service is at a good time of the year for beach-goers, but hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains can be hot in the summer.

``It sounds like something we'd definitely take advantage of,'' said Mark Gilmore, hiking chairman for the Rancho Simi Trail Blazers. ``We don't do a lot of Santa Monica Mountains hiking in the summer because it's hot, but we would probably take advantage of it in the fall. When it cools down, I think that's a great resource.''

Bus stop improvements such as passenger shelters, benches and signs have been built for each of the nine stops. Three smaller stops, known as flag stops, are planned at key trailheads.

Two of the flag stops will be shared with MTA stops along the Pacific Coast Highway and in Malibu at Cross Creek to facilitate regional connections for bus riders.

The weekend and holiday-only public transportation system is starting out with five 20-passenger, clean diesel buses to operate during the three- year demonstration project.

The buses will be accessible for people in wheelchairs and will have room for recreational gear such as backpacks, bicycles, boogie boards and picnic baskets.

Depending on the success of this three-year demonstration project, the shuttle may expand to include many other popular parkland sites.

Funding for the buses and the capital improvements is provided by a grant from the National Park Service's Alternative Transportation Program.

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

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SHUTTLE TO THE SEA

SOURCE: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Warren Huskey/Staff Artist