A ‘Famous Missing Link’

My friend Bill Edmundson of South Pasadena has discovered the “missing link” that can solve the Long Beach Freeway dilemma. He says that his plan will save about half a billion dollars.

Here’s the scoop: Convert Meridian Avenue into a four-lane, one-way highway heading south; convert Fremont Avenue into a four-lane, one-way highway heading north. The lanes are already there. The only catch is that you’ll need a bucket of paint to slop in the new arrows, and that’s going to set you back $5.

East-west crossings on the two highways would be blocked off except for main arteries with traffic lights. Thus, Meridian and Fremont avenues, except for a bit of retooling at their terminals, can immediately serve together as a very passable eight-lane link between existing freeways.

As a quick, cheap compromise, I see Edmundson’s gambit as FAMOUS (Fremont and Meridian Open-crossing Unidirectional System).

Advantages of this FAMOUS plan are obvious. Houses and historical sites remain intact; residents are not displaced; on- and off-ramps become unnecessary; years of construction turmoil are eliminated; and Caltrans would save about a half billion green ones.

I urge serious consideration of this FAMOUS plan.

GEORGE W. FEINSTEIN

Altadena