Sherman Wins Extension for Burbank Transit Center

Washington, D.C. - The House agreed Wednesday to let Burbank have until next year to commit to spend $750,000 that Congress already set aside for the Burbank Empire Area Transit Center.

Burbank has completed preliminary designs for the station and is undertaking state and federal environmental assessments, but the city needs additional time to explore land acquisition costs and study railroad right-of-way issues.

The Burbank provision was in a report accompanying legislation that now goes to the Senate.

Altogether, Sherman has secured almost $1 million for the project. The $750,000 that the House Appropriations Committee agreed to extend was initially included in a transit package approved for 2004. He won another $209,000 in a transportation funding bill Congress passed last year.

The transit and bus facility near Burbank Airport would expand an existing Metrolink and Amtrak rail platform to include ticket kiosks, bicycle parking, restrooms, and bus loading areas.

The facility would consolidate transit services now provided by four regional bus routes, the Metrolink commuter train, Amtrak, one local shuttle service and the airport. The new facility would consolidate stops for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the BurbankBus service and streamline transfers to the nearby airport and train station.

The project would expand mass transit alternatives for passengers traveling to and from the airport, and also would improve transit services for commuters who work at nearby retail and office developments.

Sherman told House Appropriations Committee leaders that the project is œextremely important, and he said the city deserves an extension of time to complete the station design and to obligate the funds.