San Bernardino County transportation officials voted to strip a major Interstate 15 project of state funds Wednesday after a dispute with the city of Victorville over a funding agreement.

The move, which led Victorville to sue San Bernardino Associated Governments, could delay construction of a $60 million overpass and freeway on- and off-ramps at La Mesa and Nisqualli roads in the High Desert. The project would add a new east-west link in the fast-growing Victor Valley area and relieve congestion on Bear Valley Road a mile south.

On a 16-8 vote, the SANBAG board removed it from a list of projects the transportation planning agency is seeking state funding for, substituting instead a project to add a carpool lane on Interstate 10 from Ontario to Redlands.

Victorville and SANBAG were counting on $14.4 million from the State Transportation Improvement Program, the state's five-year capital improvement plan that is updated every two years, to supplement $30 million from Victorville and $15.6 million from the county's Measure I sales tax.

But with new Measure I money not available until 2010, Victorville had agreed to front the Measure I share and be repaid by SANBAG later.

SANBAG already has executed 19 similar project advancement agreements with other cities, but in this case agency officials say Victorville sought to amend its standard agreement. The changes would leave SANBAG responsible for additional project costs if state funds are not available -- a distinct possibility in a tight budget year like this one, said Deborah Barmack, SANBAG executive director.

Victorville officials accused SANBAG of imposing a different standard on the city, one that would leave Victorville financially responsible for any shortfall.

"I'm disappointed they didn't vote to give us the funding for the project," said Victorville Councilman Mike Rothschild, the city's representative on the SANBAG board. "That just means the High Desert gets shortchanged."

As the lead agency on the project, Victorville controls the expenditures and should be responsible, Barmack said.

Other board members said Victorville officials were warned at February's board meeting that the project would lose the funds if the city did not submit an agreement in time.

"The intent of the board was perfectly clear at the last meeting," said Highland Councilman Larry McCallon, who made the motion.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, who represents the High Desert, said he was concerned about how it would affect the project, which is expected to begin construction in June 2009.

"This is a very big priority," he said. "I don't want to see it delayed."

Barmack said she still hopes to find ways to fund the project through bonds or federal funds.

"Delays are very costly due to inflation and this interchange is of dramatic need in the Victor Valley," she said.

Victorville filed a lawsuit two weeks ago seeking a restraining order against Barmack to prevent her from amending SANBAG's application to the state. A hearing is planned today in court in Victorville.

The SANBAG board held a closed session discussion in the middle of its meeting to discuss Victorville's litigation, with Rothschild sitting in. Jean-Rene Basle, SANBAG legal counsel, said a state attorney general opinion has found that Rothschild is legally allowed to do so because he is acting in his capacity as a SANBAG board member, not a Victorville councilman.