Uses of New Lanes on the Crowded Costa Mesa Freeway
I must disagree with your opinion as to the best use of the soon-to-be-added fourth lane on the Costa Mesa Freeway.
The roads and highways of this state are the property of the people. Construction and maintenance of the roads are financed by fuel taxes levied at both the state and federal levels. Each and every driver, regardless of the number of passengers carried, has contributed to the highway trust fund. To restrict free access to any portion of the roads built therefrom is a severe breach of that trust.
The propensity of governing entities to continually experiment with the traffic flow is ill-conceived and ineffective. Metered ramps, diamond lanes, car pooling and other social engineering tricks are little more than government’s attempt to further regulate the daily activities of the citizens.
The Times should realize that government’s only role is to build and maintain the highway system, nothing more. Once built, the market (the motoring public) should regulate its best utilization.
SANDRA R. SWANSON
Tustin
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