Local News in Brief : Bus Lines Serving Agoura Hills Are Rerouted to Attract Riders

The two public bus lines that serve Agoura Hills will be rerouted through newly built residential neighborhoods in hopes of attracting more riders, Southern California Rapid Transit District officials said Friday.

Lines 161 and 423 will begin picking up passengers along a two-mile part of Thousand Oaks Boulevard starting June 29, officials said.

The new routes will have stops at Agoura Hills’ main shopping area, several newly built subdivisions and a pair of the community’s oldest tracts, Hillrise and Lake Lindero. Most of Agoura Hills’ 20,000 residents live in the neighborhoods, which lie north of the Ventura Freeway.

The buses previously crossed the community on Agoura Road, which passes in front of several light-industrial complexes. RTD officials said only 28 persons from those businesses ride the buses.

The route changes were requested by Agoura Hills and Westlake Village city officials, who earlier this year were threatened with the loss of both the hourly Line 161, which goes to Canoga Park, and the twice-a-day, Westlake-to-Los Angeles Line 423 because of low usage.

The RTD last month pledged to retain Line 161. The line to downtown will be preserved if federal subsidies allow, RTD spokesman Rick Jager said Friday.