U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, whose 30th Congressional District includes Calabasas, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills, flew here from Washington D.C. last Friday to discuss federal funding for the U.S. 101 Freeway/Reyes Adobe Road interchange project.

The construction, scheduled to begin after the Kanan Road interchange is finished, will expand the three-lane bridge to six lanes and help improve local traffic flow.

The project was just one item discussed at a press conference conducted in a vacant lot on the southwest side of freeway on Reyes Adobe Road.

Several dignitaries attended, including Laura Plotkin, representing Sheila Kuehl, (D-Los Angeles, Senate District 23); Louise Rishoff, staff director for Fran Pavley, 41st Assembly District; and Agoura Hills councilmembers Denis Weber, Jeff Reinhardt, Dan Kuperberg and John Edelston.

They listened to Waxman explain to the group that the federal government appropriated $1.5 million to the Reyes Adobe bridge project.

"It’s an important sum that will be leveraged at the city level," Waxman said.

The project is estimated to cost $5 million. The remaining $3.5 million is expected to come from general funds, developer fees and gas tax funds. No additional taxes are expected to be levied for the funding of the project.

Waxman also is lobbying for more federal money for the Kanan Interchange project, now in its second phase.

He said the money earmarked for the Kanan Interchange project is part of a larger transportation bill that stalled due to political fights between the infrastructure committee and President Bush.

The Reyes Adobe Road Interchange project will increase pedestrian and bicycle safety while alleviating traffic congestion, city officials said.

Bike lanes and sidewalks are planned to accomplish the goal. A new signal is also expected to be installed.

Plotkin thanked Waxman for his work on the city’s behalf, and said that partners are a necessary component in any process. She noted that Waxman is also a partner in the acquisition of the Soka University property in Calabasas, which if completed, will preserved open space.

"Whatever we accomplish, we’ll have to accomplish together," she said.

Rishoff added, "It’s not easy to deliver money in California in these particular (political) times."

The Reyes Adobe bridge was built in 1965, but when the freeway was widened to eight lanes in 1974, the on and off-ramps at Reyes Adobe Road were reconfigured. The report states that the widening resulted in a "tight diamond interchange that exists today."

City officials said that they expect to start work on the project in fall, 2006.

The city will eventually establish a hotline for project information during the construction phase.

Call Ken Berkman, city engineer, at (818) 597-7353 for more information.