Express Bus Route Through Oak Park to Be Considered

Ventura County’s chief transportation official said she will consider running an express bus service through the community of Oak Park next year when a countywide transit system begins.

The route would run through the heart of Oak Park along Kanan Road, requiring an additional bus to be added to the system, said Mary Travis, manager of transit programs for the Ventura County Transportation Commission. She said adding the new bus should not be a problem because a federal grant is paying for nearly 89% of the subsidy that will be needed to run the system.

Travis made the comments this week at a meeting of the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council. She also said the bus system will help Ventura County comply with tough clean-air regulations.

The council was concerned that preliminary plans for a proposed east county transit service bypassed Oak Park by several blocks. Those plans called for a route along Thousand Oaks Boulevard to Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, both south of Oak Park.

Travis said planners had anticipated that Oak Park residents could link up with the bus by taking Dial-A-Ride, a government-supported taxi service.

But speakers said Oak Park, with about 13,000 residents, can justify its own bus. The residents said many community members commute to Moorpark College, the Metrolink station in Moorpark and other anticipated stops on the east county service.

Residents also said it is difficult getting a Dial-A-Ride taxi during morning rush hour.