SUPERVISORS QUESTION $10 MILLION HIGHWAY PLAN.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

The Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday that it wants to take a closer look at the state's preliminary plan to spend more than $10 million to reconstruct portions of Highway 118.

Supervisors unanimously called for an environmental impact study of plans to widen the intersection of Highways 34 and 118 and eliminate S-curves, which residents fear would lead to suburbanization and more speeding motorists.

``There's a lot of misunderstanding about what is being proposed,'' said Supervisor Frank Schillo. ``It's a matter of delaying it until we have a better understanding of the situation.''

Before the vote, Camarillo and Somis area residents complained to the board that widening the intersection would ultimately result in the two highways expanding from two to four lanes.

John Kerkhoff, a Somis-based accident reconstructionist, added that many buildings in downtown Somis would have to be torn down because the strip is not wide enough for four lanes.

``It would lead to the death of Somis,'' he said. ``If you change its character, it will devastate the town. It will become a little Moorpark.''

The vote supported a letter by Supervisors John Flynn and Kathy Long requesting a staff report on whether Caltrans' plans conform with the Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources initiative, as well as the county's General Plan.

Caltrans also wants to build a connector between Highway 34 and Donlon Road, eliminating the need to make turns onto Highway 118 to continue traveling on either road.

Caltrans additionally seeks to replace several sharp S-curves by the Mesa Union School with a more gentle banana-shaped curve, which residents said would allow for more speeding motorists.

``I fear for every child and every parent that goes in and out of (the school),'' said Jim Niles, a Camarillo resident and former board member of the Mesa school district. ``They need to figure out ways to slow the traffic down, not speed it up.''

Caltrans officials, who were not at the meeting, had planned to begin construction within two years. The groundbreaking date is now unknown.

While acknowledging that supervisors have no legal authority to stop the projects, Schillo said he believes the board can influence Caltrans if the environmental report reveals a significant negative impact.

``If you don't want the project, they'll put the money someplace else,'' he said.

Supervisor Judy Mikels indicated that some reconstruction might be needed.

``This is not going to sit well with some people in the audience,'' she said. ``But it is a major transportation corridor.''