Official’s Proposal Offers Traffic Relief

Motorists heading north or south in the west San Fernando Valley will get some relief if a proposal by City Councilman Hal Bernson gains the support of transit officials.

Bernson, who represents the northwest Valley, introduced a motion Wednesday that asks the City Council to direct the city Department of Transportation to secure approval for a railroad crossing on Mason Avenue. The crossing would connect two dead-end segments of Mason Avenue between Plummer and Nordhoff streets.

The project, already rejected once by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, would cost about $600,000. The MTA would pay two-thirds of the cost, with the rest picked up voluntarily by developers of the proposed Porter Ranch project, according to Bernson deputy Francine Oschin.

Traffic on De Soto, Corbin, Tampa and Winnetka avenues would be reduced by the Mason Avenue extension, Oschin said. Bernson’s motion also maintains the plan would improve travel from the north Valley to southern hubs such as Pierce College and Warner Center. It also notes that the opening of the Winnetka Avenue exit on the Ronald Reagan Freeway, expected within three years, will also add to the traffic around Mason Avenue.

“It’s a perfect location for a crossing,” Oschin said. “It’s an industrial area, not residential. The streets are ready for it.”

Southern Pacific Railroad owns the track and supports the crossing proposal, Oschin added. Bernson is scheduled to appear before the Southern California Regional Rail Authority and the MTA on Friday. His motion is expected to appear on the council’s agenda next week.