[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 113 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 23, 2009

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information 
regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288, the Department of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2010:
  Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly
  Bill: H.R. 3288--the Department of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Highway 
Administration, Transportation & Community & System Preservation
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Thousand Oaks
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand 
Oaks, CA 91362
  Description of Request: This request of $500,000 is for a project to 
widen the US-101 and SR-23 Interchange from the Los Angeles/Ventura 
County line to Moorpark Road (US-101) and Hillcrest Drive (SR-23). The 
proposed improvements include the extension of existing auxiliary lanes 
in both directions, conversion of auxiliary lanes to mixed-flow lanes, 
addition of a northbound lane, realignment and widening of ramps at the 
interchange, and the construction of soundwalls and retaining walls. 
The improvements are necessary to relieve congestion along the 101 and 
23 Freeways in the City of Thousand Oaks. The California Department of 
Transportation recently began the three-year project to widen the Route 
23 Freeway connecting to the 101/23 Interchange. Completion of the 
improvements is crucial to achieve the congestion benefits of the 
project. The Ventura County Transportation Commission considers both 
improvements as two integral parts of a single congestion relief 
project. Since the freeway widening is now underway, the interchange 
improvement needs to move forward without delay. The bill provides 
$500,000 in funding for this project request.
  Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly
  Bill: H.R. 3288--the Department of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad 
Administration, Grade Crossings on Designated High Speed Rail Corridors
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SCRRA-Metrolink
  Address of Requesting Entity: 700 So. Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 
90017
  Description of Request: This requests of $2,000,000 will be used for 
an important project that enhances safety at highway-rail grade 
crossings through the construction of grade crossing safety 
improvements, including median barriers, four-quadrant gates at 
crossings, fencing at strategic points, traffic signal system upgrades, 
additional traffic signage, and street striping improvements. These 
safety enhancements will take place at crossings in the Simi Valley and 
Moorpark areas in Ventura County. The objective is to reduce the 
opportunity for accidents in the corridor.
  Within my congressional district, there are fourteen highway-rail 
crossings needing funding along the Ventura County Line, with two 
projects currently underway. In 2005, Metrolink, in partnership with 
cities throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, developed the 
Sealed Corridor program to improve safety at highway-rail grade 
crossings. The first in the nation, the Sealed Corridor program takes a 
systematic approach and performs on-site diagnostics to identify grade 
crossing enhancements to reduce and eliminate accidents involving 
vehicles and pedestrians. Grade separation costs range from $20 to $70 
million and with 464 at-grade crossings on the Metrolink system, 
funding to grade separate all crossings is unlikely. The Sealed 
Corridor approach is a cost-effective alternative that will improve 
rail safety through a comprehensive strategy to enhance the safety of 
trains, passengers, motorists, and pedestrians in the areas serviced by 
Metrolink. The bill provides $750,000 in funding for this project.

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