Despite a long delay, the widening of the 23 Freeway is the top priority for the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), according to the agency’s executive director, Ginger Gherardi.

Gherardi sought to reassure Thousand Oaks City Council members at a recent council meeting. The issue was placed on the agenda after the VCTC revised its financial plan earlier this year to allocate some of the funds planned for the 23 project to another matter—the widening of Lewis Road to accommodate expansion of the Cal State Channel Islands campus.

Councilmember Dennis Gillette, who’s a VCTC commission member, expressed concern about the revision and asked that the city council request a written guarantee that the 23 Freeway widening is the VCTC’s top priority. He also asked that alternative construction and funding proposals be developed to help expedite the long-awaited project. Gillette’s proposal was unanimously approved by the council.

"I feel very strongly that we have to do everything we can to keep this project in front of the decisionmakers," Gillette said. "The traffic situation we’re in is difficult. We have people looking for alternative routes on our streets."

The 23 project, which will add a lane in each direction from the 118 to the 101 to help ease growing congestion, has been delayed since 2003. At a hearing in February, a Caltrans representative said that the funds had been allocated and were available, but the money was borrowed to help balance the state’s budget. As the state continues to struggle with its budget deficit, no time frame has been set for when the money will be restored.

The 23 project must be completed before two other related projects can begin—the widening of the 101/23 Freeway interchange and the widening of the 101 from the Los Angeles County line near Westlake Boulevard to the Moorpark Road undercrossing.

Gherardi said that a meeting will be held to discuss alternative funding possibilities for the project. Cost is estimated to be more than $42 million, but that is expected to increase as steel and concrete prices continue to rise.

"We don’t know when the funding is going to be there," Gherardi said. "From our standpoint the critical thing is to keep everything up to date so that when the window of funding opens, we’re ready."

Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks urged the council to consider a partial version of the project that would not require as much funding but would help relieve some of the congestion. She suggested adding a lane to just the northbound section of the 23 at a cost of $18 million. About $10 million of that would be covered by a federal grant.

"It moves the construction schedule up, adds capacity so traffic is not spilling over onto Thousand Oaks roads," Parks said. "Eighteen million is doable."

Gillette said he would work with the VCTC to come up with proposals.

"We made a commitment to our constituents on the 23 project," Gillette said. "It’s not a simple issue, but there may be other creative ideas to get this going."