SIMI VALLEY : City to Seek Input on Street Widening

The city of Simi Valley will hold a town hall meeting Wednesday to discuss the construction schedule for the $3.5-million 1st Street widening project.

The meeting will be at 3 p.m. in the Community Room at City Hall, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road, said George T. Berg, deputy director of public works.

The purpose of the meeting is to give 1st Street property owners--mostly auto dealers and small-business owners--an opportunity to comment on the scheduling of the project.

The city is proposing to widen a one-mile stretch of 1st Street, roughly from Los Angeles Avenue to the Simi Valley Freeway, from four to six lanes.

Some business owners have asked that the project be postponed until next year because they fear that it will hurt their already ailing businesses, Berg said.

The city recently awarded a contract to D. W. Burhoe Construction, which has outlined two construction schedules, he said. In the first, work would begin in early July, with a completion date in November. Under the second plan, work would not start until July, 1993.

The project will include the installation of a traffic signal at 1st and Cochran streets, reconstruction of a nearby railroad crossing and construction of new drainage and irrigation systems. Sound walls will be erected along a stretch of the roadway near a residential neighborhood.

In addition, portions of Cochran Street and Easy Street that intersect with 1st Street will be widened to accommodate additional turning lanes.

Responding to concerns of auto dealers about the dust the project would generate, the city has agreed to provide the eight dealerships a total of $14,400 to pay for the washing of vehicles during six weeks of the construction.