North L.A. County Transportation Forum Scheduled for October 28

SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--Oct. 6, 2004--Transportation issues and opportunities in northern Los Angeles County will be addressed at the North Los Angeles County Transportation Forum, an annual luncheon program to be held from 11:30 am to 2 pm on Thursday, October 28 at the Hyatt Valencia. The forum is presented by the Golden State Gateway Coalition in cooperation with the Automobile Club of Southern California, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Industrial Association of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Transportation Alliance.

The keynote speaker is Barry Sedlik, Undersecretary of California's Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. Forum participants will also include Assemblyman Keith Richman; Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar; Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford, who chairs the North County Transportation Coalition; James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and Captain Ellen Conley of the California Highway Patrol.

Appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Undersecretary of the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency and Senior Advisor for Economic Development in April 2004, Sedlik is responsible for 14 departments of state government and 41,000 employees including, CALTRANS, DMV, Highway Patrol, the Department of Corporations, Department of Financial Institutions, Department of Real Estate, and others that regulate California businesses. The Agency also oversees the Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Infrastructure Bank, the California Film Commission, the California Travel and Tourism Commission, and activities associated with international trade.

Reservations for the Transportation Forum can be made by contacting the Coalition via e-mail (vlinden@goldenstategateway.org), on-line (www.goldenstategateway.org/forum_info.htm) or telephone (661-775-0455). Fees for advance registration (includes lunch) are $35 per person, with tables of 10 available for $300. Registration at the door will be $50 per person.

The Golden State Gateway Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving roadway mobility and safety in Northern Los Angeles County's Interstate 5 corridor.