The City of Santa Clarita Transit Division staff have recently updated the Transportation Development Plan, addressing long-range transit needs in the Santa Clarita Valley. The new plan outlines transit services for a 10-year period, from 2013 to 2023.

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The public is invited to review the draft of the plan until July 22.

Transit Division staff evaluate service needs on a regional basis and revise the Transportation Development Plan every five to seven years. Their reach extends to Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus and Valencia, in addition to communities in the unincorporated areas, including Sunset Pointe, Southern Oaks, Stevenson Ranch, Westridge, Newhall Ranch, Val Verde, Castaic and Tesoro Del Valle.

The Transit Division’s goals for the Santa Clarita Valley over the next 10 years include increasing connectivity between communities, maintaining a diversified and sustainable system and promoting alternative methods of transportation.

“The plan is essentially a road map for the development of the transit system here in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Transit Manager Adrian Aguilar.

In order to determine the changing needs of the valley, the division conducted wide-scale community outreach, including customer surveys. Staff began working on the draft more than a year ago, and now they want to give citizens another opportunity to comment and give their input.

Aguilar said that the new draft reevaluates the transit system now that the economy is looking up again.

“A lot of things we planned to do four, five, six years ago were placed on hold,” he said.

Some recognized needs include increased service along Copperhill Drive and in the Fair Oaks community in Canyon Country. Commuters want to see later service to and from North Hollywood, including weekend transportation to events like the Hollywood Bowl.

The plan also assesses tax revenue and finances, enabling the division to plan activities and present it needs to funding jurisdictions.

The public is invited to review the draft Transportation Development Plan and submit comments via mail, fax or email. The plan is available online, at all the Santa Clarita Public Libraries and at the City Hall Permit Center.

Mail comments to City of Santa Clarita, Attn: TDP. Send a fax to 661-295-6393. Or, email the Transit Division at czamora@santa-clarita.com.

A copy of the previous Transportation Development Plan is available here.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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Source: Santa Clarita News
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