LOS ANGELES -- Southern California will need $531 billion in the next 30 years for its transportation system to keep pace with a soaring population, a regional planning group said.
The region will need that much money to maintain its roads, build more busways, make freeway improvements and build new systems such as high-tech trains in order to deal with an expected 6 million more people, the Southern California Association of Governments said Friday.
At least $40 billion is needed just to fix potholes, bridges and other infrastructure, said Gary Ovitt, a former SCAG president and a San Bernardino County supervisor.
SCAG's latest 30-year plan said paying for the maintenance and improvements will require new taxes, tolls and user fees on everything from highways to containers moving through ports. Public-Private partnerships also are suggested to raise funds.
Some critics said it will be hard to convince the public that new fees are worthwhile.
"The L.A. region's history with transportation projects _ being able to deliver projects that are both effective and efficient _ is not very good," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
"Every time the county has asked for higher taxes, they promise the moon and deliver nothing. I think there will be a lot of skepticism about additional funds."
Assemblyman Mike Feuer, who has three bills to increase transportation funding pending in the Legislature, was more confident.
"I am optimistic that one way or the other, the voters of our region will make decisions now to improve our transportation as soon as we possibly can," said Feuer, D-West Hollywood.
"I am absolutely aware of how difficult some of the choices will be," he said. "But if we choose the status quo, we confine ourselves to gridlock for the indefinite future. And I don't know anybody who wants that."
