Josh Kleinbaum
A proposed carpool lane for the Golden State (5) Freeway is expected
to ease congestion on freeways and surface streets in Glendale and
Burbank and ensure that the county continues to receive federal
transportation funds.
The county's transportation agency approved a $1.3-billion bond issue Thursday to expedite five projects within the county. One of
those projects will add the carpool lane on the Golden State Freeway
between the Ventura (134) Freeway and the Hollywood (170) Freeway.
"Carpool lanes not only help to alleviate congestion, they improve
air quality, they encourage carpooling and they enhance safety," said
Jeanne Bonfilio, a Caltrans spokes- woman. "We're trying to develop a
seamless transportation system from freeway to freeway, route to
route, so people can stay in them longer periods of time."
The county has long eyed a carpool lane along the Golden State
Freeway. The county's 2003 short-term transportation plan called for
a carpool lane along this stretch, although county officials did not
expect to have the funds to complete the $300-million project until
2015. The new bond issue moves up the expected completion date to
2010, with construction expected to begin in late 2007 or early 2008.
Bonfilio said the project includes improving the sound wall, which
should reduce noise. Construction could cause some delays and road
closures, but Bonfilio said most of the work will be done at night.
Genevieve Giuliano, a professor at USC and director of the
National Center for Metropolitan Transportation Research, said the
carpool lane will improve traffic in the short-run, but an increasing
population will make the improvements a temporary fix.
"We have a rapidly growing population, and a still-growing job
base," Giuliano said. "As long as that keeps happening, and as long
as people's behavior doesn't change significantly, there's going to
be increased travel demands and more traffic on the roads."
Ed Scannell, spokesman for the county's transportation agency,
said the county hopes to pay for the project with state and federal
funds. Although the bonds have been approved, they will only be
issued if that funding falls through.
