21st-Century Ideas for Transportation Needed

Re “Caltrans Embarks Upon the Road to Tomorrow” (July 24):

More freeways, another lane on our freeways, encouraging more cars on existing freeways achieved with new technologies have not and will not solve our “transportation dilemma,” so aptly described by Tom Nielsen, vice chairman of the Irvine Co.

This “freeway gridlock thinking” will add hundreds of millions of dollars to the cost of building freeways (what a misnomer), and increase the pollution of our already sickly, graying atmosphere.

Isn’t it about time we commence to break out of this “gridlock automobile-bound thinking” and start contemplating in rational terms transportation alternatives for moving people?

Engineering studies show that in many areas of Orange County, including the 5, 405 and 55 freeways, to provide for the anticipated growth by 1993-95 will require 16 to 20 or more lanes in each direction if we think solely in terms of the automobile. We must think in 21st-Century terms of “transporting people,” and refuse to continue to be so influenced and dominated by the automobile industry.

Japan, for example, under the theme of the “Pulse of Change,” is achieving a rapidly evolving transportation system, including its high-speed surface transport train that has magnetic flotation linear motor propulsion with no wheels and is virtually pollution free.

A recent speech by Gov. George Deukmejian has alerted us to the fact that billions of dollars are being wasted here in California each year as a result of our inadequate and antiquated transportation systems. The freeways and parkways of America are among the man-made wonders of the world. However, like the pyramids of Egypt, they are rapidly becoming archaic.

Rather than continuing with Caltrans’ myopic approach, which is offering more of the same congestion and seriously adding to the pollution, many citizens say, “Let’s put the ‘Buckminster Fullers’ to work to revive our transportation systems to lead us into the 21st Century!” Let’s continue to work, not in defense and war efforts, but rather work together to improve the quality of life for all of us and share with the world practical concepts for moving people.

DAVID B. McCOSKER

Irvine