California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak met with North County Transit District (NCTD) board members at a recent monthly board meeting to award the district with a California Transportation Commission (CTC) and Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant in the amount of $245,000.

NCTD will use the funds to continue a November 2003 study of best options for land use around three of the district’s properties: the Oceanside Transit Center, Carlsbad Village COASTER Station and the Escondido Transit Center. The scope of the project includes land use planning, market and financial analysis, and facilitation of a public process – all aiming to develop comprehensive recommendations that will improve the transit experience for riders.

Such recommendations could include more convenient physical connections between bus and rail; relocating or reconfiguring platforms, bus islands, or ticket offices; suggestions on new parking structures versus lots; and development of commercial/retail/residential complexes similar to what has been proposed in Solana Beach.

A total of $6,071,760 million in grants are being awarded for transportation planning and traffic safety in San Diego/Imperial County based on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to transfer $1.313 billion in Proposition 42 monies to the State Transportation Investment Fund in 2005-06.