Fifth District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has initiated a task force that will meet later this month to study funding sources and building timelines for his proposed Antelope Valley inland port. The port, which he proposed in spring, would allow trucks to pick up goods in the Antelope Valley instead of driving to seaside ports. The plan would create a hub connected to the ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles via a corridor that would bypass the freeways currently used for such distribution. “This is a cost-effective, win-win situation for commuters and for truckers,” said Antonovich spokesman Tony Bell. “It would increase traffic safety, mobility and air quality. You’d be relieving traffic and lots of it. It also creates an economic stimulus for the Antelope Valley with increased jobs.” The inland port would accommodate three modes of transportation: air, rail and ground. The plan would divert a large portion of the truck stops to ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach to the inland port. According to Michael Cano, transportation deputy to Antonovich, a roadway being called the High Desert Corridor would be built in order to provide a high-speed link between the Antelope Valley 14 Freeway and Interstate 15. In addition, the nearby Santa Clarita Valley would benefit because truck traffic would be diverted from Interstate 5, which runs through the SCV, to Highway 138 to the port, alleviating a significant portion of congestion on the I-5, Cano said. “This is the most revolutionary thing in Los Angeles to handle goods movement and truck traffic,” he said. The port, Bell said, would probably be located along the High Desert Corridor in an unincorporated area in Lancaster, which is part of Los Angeles County, or elsewhere in the county. According to Cano, funds could come from revenues from toll roads and federal loans. Another benefit of the port, Cano said, would be accelerating the time it takes to ship goods from the county. According to Cano, the Palmdale Regional Airport, which began offering flights to San Francisco on June 7, could become another link in the transportation chain. “The key feature is you have an airport,” he said. The Palmdale airport is located on a larger plot of land than LAX, Cano said. “It can be expanded to the largest airport you can imagine.” The high-speed rail component would entail the upgrading of the existing Metrolink track to accommodate higher-speed trains to ship cargo, he said. It would also benefit the many AV residents who commute to jobs in the Los Angeles basin via Metrolink by providing faster travel, he said. “The key is we have to build up the rail infrastructure in the Antelope Valley to make this work,” Cano said. Cano said the inland plan could come to fruition without an airport component, but the High Desert Corridor is a critical element. “Right now, there’s no highway link to connect this all,” he said. “The idea is to develop the High Desert Corridor and inland port together.” The corridor is expected to cost $1.5 billion to $2 billion and would be funded predominantly through non-tax dollars, Cano said. The corridor would take 10-12 years to complete, he said. Antonovich formed a Joint Powers Authority last year to accelerate the development of the corridor. The authority has met twice to date. The plan for the port, though, must be developed through a partnership among many entities. “There’s no one institution that’s going to be able to handle this project,” Cano said. Subsequently, Antonovich hopes to convene a summit of stakeholders for the port plan this summer, Cano said. The supervisor also wants the AQMD to study the potential effects the projects will have on pollution. Cano is confident the plan will be well received. “Private industry has been responsive to this kind of infrastructure,” he said. Palmdale Mayor James Ledford said the creation of a High Desert Corridor will be vital to the Antelope Valley within the next 20 years because of the expected population growth in the area. “We think the elements are here for that,” he said. Ledford said he is open to the incorporation of an inland port, but the improved infrastructure and accessibility could be developed in a myriad of ways. “Every mode needs to be incorporated,” Ledford said. “I’m not sold on just one.” Inland Port Proposal What it is: A route connecting the 14 Freeway to Interstate 15, diverting much of the truck traffic in the area from Long Beach and Los Angeles ports to the proposed inland port. What it would entail: Construction of a High Desert Corridor connection route, Metrolink rail upgrades and, possibly, Palmdale Regional Airport expansion. What benefit it would provide: Traffic relief, creation of jobs in the Antelope Valley, improved air quality. How it would be funded: Tolling road legislation, federal funds and tax dollars.
