L.A. Traffic Strangulation
Chief Gates is the first and only bearer of truth that I have heard in recent times. His quotes about Los Angeles traffic conditions are accurate. His remarks about the Caltrans system of highways and streets are painfully true. Traffic signals all through Los Angeles (including all the small communities that make up this city) seem to be deliberately timed to make traffic stop and go at all times. Other large cities solved this problem years ago by timing lights so that traffic runs without stopping for many blocks at a time, but not Los Angeles.
The results are obvious. We have more fuel consumption, more fender-benders and more air pollution. Construction and/or maintenance seems always to be during the daylight hours when people must use the streets and freeways for all their necessary daily duties. It seems to be the most irresponsible and insensitive management one could imagine.
The few weeks during the Olympics saw a drastically changed city--police visibility, reduced congestion, reduced crime--all proving that it’s possible.
Bravo, Chief Gates!
ARTIE KANE
Los Angeles
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