Barbra Williamson Council member 'It's not a big step; it's a huge step.' The recent passage of Measure 1B, the $19.9billion voterapproved transportation bond, was good news for commuters across the state and especially those in Simi Valley, where residents and city officials hope it will lead to the long-awaited start of the Highway 118 widening.

"It's not a big step, it's a huge step," said Councilmember Barbra Williamson, who represents the city on the Ventura County Travel Commission, the agency responsible for overseeing county roadways. "I'm so happy voters got these two propositions (1A and 1B) passed."

According to Ginger Gherardi, executive director for VCTC, the passage of Measure 1B should jumpstart the much-anticipated freeway widening, which will add a new lane in each direction between Tapo Canyon Road and the Los Angeles County line.

"I expect the remaining $27 to $28 million needed on the existing 118 project-including the (repair of the) Rocky Peak Road offramps-to be funded quickly," Gherardi said. The project is the first on a list of priorities in Ventura County, she said.

Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks, Gherardi said, are likely the first beneficiaries of the estimated $650 million in new funds expected to flow into the county as a result of the passage of 1B. She said the money should also help "get back on track" the goal of fixing the 23 and 101 Freeway interchange.

In addition to those improvements, Williamson said, she's also very excited about the creation of sound walls along that same stretch of highway-from Tapo Canyon to the L.A. County line.

"I've been on the council for 16 years, and I remember when I first started, residents would tell us how they couldn't sit in their backyards because of the noise," she said. If funds are provided as an

ticipated, the Highway 118 project could get underway as early as next year, said Moorpark Councilmember Keith Millhouse, who serves on the VCTC board.

According to Caltrans, bidding on the first phase of the Highway 118 improvement project should be completed by Jan. 25, 2007. About a month after that a contractor should arrive to begin doing the work.

The balance of the project will be combined with the Rocky Peak Road on and offramp project, which is expected to go out to bid in February or early March.

If the California Transportation Commission votes for that project in April, then construction could begin in August or September 2007.

Williamson said Simi Valley drivers can now take solace in the fact that the long-awaited widening will happen.

"If anything was ever a done deal, this is it," she said, adding that Simi voters may not know just how important the passage of 1B really was.

"If it hadn't passed, we wouldn't have seen this money until 2025. I'd have been dead and gone," she joked.

Acorn writer Sylvie Belmond contributed to this story.