At the July Board of Directors meeting, a cooperative agreement was approved between the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and SBCTA to study High Desert transportation solutions.
In response to high costs associated with a new east/west high desert corridor, Metro and SBCTA recently voted to look into financially feasible short-term transportation options to connect Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties consistent with the goals of a more comprehensive project. Included in this planning process was a study of SR-138 and SR-18 between Palmdale and Victorville as potential east-west highway improvements.
The study would examine design concepts, potential impacts, and costs for improving mobility from Palmdale, following the SR-138, connecting to SR-18 just west of the Los Angeles/San Bernardino county line, and continuing to I-15. Although the widening of SR-138 will be completed in Los Angeles County in the near future, methods to enhance mobility on SR-138 through operational and signal improvements will be considered as part of this effort.
SBCTA will prepare the scope of work, lead all agency and stakeholder coordination, manage the consultant team’s efforts in the technical work, lead all Project meetings and presentations, and perform other responsibilities ordinarily assigned to the Project Manager. Metro will assist SBCTA in managing the Project.