23 Freeway widening project ahead of schedule
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers STAYING AHEAD- Workmen move dirt and clean up as construction continues on the 23 Freeway overpass at Paige Lane in Thousand Oaks on Tuesday. The project is ahead of schedule and may open earlier than expected.

The $65-million 23 Freeway widening project is eight months ahead of schedule, said two local city officials last week.

The improvements will contribute to the completion of a loop between Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and the 101 Freeway Corridor to ease regional traffic flow and reduce congestion on local streets. Air quality will also improve because the extra lanes will expedite the movement of goods in the entire region, they said.

Commuters are already enjoying the two new lanes on the northern end of the freeway, but much work remains on the southern end, said Thousand Oaks Councilmember Dennis Gillette.

The bulk of the work between Olsen Road and the 101 Freeway must still be completed because that's where most bridges and onramps are located, he said.

Unfinished projects include the installation of onrampmonitoring devices, security lighting and landscaping. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is also setting up an electronics backbone to regulate traffic.

"As the lanes open and the pieces of this project come together, it's my hope that . . . people who currently jump off the freeway to use surface roads (will) find it more acceptable to stay on the freeway," Gillette said.

"Every dollar spent on roadways and transit improvements generates $3 to $4 in economic benefits," said Moorpark Councilmember Keith Millhouse, who serves on the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

Most of the freeway work should be completed by fall 2008 unless unforeseen delays occur, said Gillette and Millhouse.

However, that work won't resolve concerns about the interchanges that link both ends of the 23 Freeway to other freeways. The northbound interchanges in Thousand Oaks are a major obstacle because they have the potential to be bottlenecks, Gillette said.

Thousand Oaks officials are now trying to identify funding sources to improve the connectors to the 101 Freeway. Several local representatives will lobby for some federal funds when they go to Washington, D.C., to attend a National League of Cities event next month, Gillette said.

The same source of funds, obtained by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (RThousand Oaks) several years ago, helped to bring the 23 Freeway improvements to fruition, he said.

On the other hand, Millhouse said local officials shouldn't rely on federal funds for regional needs. "The fact is we need to take care of ourselves in this county."

The Moorpark City Council member wants to reintroduce the half-cent transportation sales tax ballot measure, which was defeated at the polls in 2004, to fund much-needed transit projects throughout Ventura County.

Moorpark officials want to connect the rural portion of Highway 23 to the freeway to reduce gravel truck and commuter traffic in the center of Moorpark, but funds haven't been available, said Millhouse.

"The money saved with lack of congestion will make up for the extra half-percent tax," he said.

Millhouse also suggested that the rural portion of Highway 118 that links Camarillo to Moorpark should be made into a toll road to compel truckers and others that use the narrow stretch of pavement to help pay for some of the improvements.

"That may require legislative changes, but it's worth looking at to see what the pros and cons are and how to get that achieved."