Commission to Study Traffic Management Plan : Transportation: Eventual approval of such a proposal is needed so the county and its 10 cities can receive $7.5 million in gasoline tax funds.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission is expected today to approve a preliminary plan that would force cities to work with the county to coordinate growth and transportation policies or risk losing state funding.

The purpose of the traffic management plan, due to be finalized in December, is to ensure that county and city planners take into account the effect new developments will have on traffic congestion and transit services countywide, not just in their individual jurisdictions, said Christopher Stephens, a senior planner with the county.

The county is required by state law to adopt a traffic management plan before the county and its 10 cities can receive $7.5 million in gasoline tax money available under Proposition 111.

To accomplish this, the Ventura County plan calls for the Transportation Commission to evaluate the impact of significant developments proposed in the county or in any of its 10 cities on an annual basis. Significant is defined as projects generating 200 or more trips on a roadway during rush hour, according to a report on the traffic plan.

Stephens said county transportation officials are developing a computer program that would help them predict how much traffic congestion and air pollution generated by each new development will affect the region.

Using information from the computer program, the commission would provide suggestions to the appropriate jurisdiction on what changes may be necessary in planning and development policies to avoid traffic and air pollution problems.

The key element of the congestion management plan would be to establish a standard of acceptable traffic levels during rush hour on state highways and major streets within the county, Stephens said.

If traffic on a particular road was found to exceed the standard, the jurisdiction where that road is located would be required to submit plans to the Transportation Commission to correct the problem.

The plans would have to identify the improvements needed to alleviate the traffic problem and outline the cost and timing of the road improvements. In the meantime, steps would have to be taken to ensure that traffic does not worsen.

If the city failed to comply with these guidelines, it would risk losing its share of the gas tax money, said Ginger Gherardi, executive director of the transportation commission.

“If a city creates the problem, it will be responsible for fixing the problem,” she said.

Gherardi said the commission would notify the state controller’s office to withhold gas tax money from the county or any of the cities if they failed to comply with the guidelines.

Other elements of the congestion management plan call for the Transportation Commission to continue to work with Ventura County air quality officials to promote ride-sharing and mass transit.

The commission will also be responsible for determining ways to either expand or improve existing transit services. The commission last month approved funding for studies on expanded bus service countywide and on ways to improve services for handicapped passengers.

The commission is also required to put together a priority list of road improvement projects planned in the county and the 10 cities over the next seven years. Public transit operators will be required to provide the commission with similar information on new or expanded service.

If the traffic plan is approved by the commission today, an environmental study will have to be conducted before it can be circulated for public comment, Stephens said. Public comment is expected to occur in September.

A revised traffic plan, which will include public comments, will then be presented to the commission for its approval in December.