‘Density’ Enough for Monorail? 1 Yes Vote

In his op-ed article “Transit Options Must Deal With Real World” (Feb. 26), Bruce Nestande said that Orange County can’t have fixed-corridor mass transit because its density is too low. His only suggestions are to improve the bus system and create more commuter lanes.

This is not very creative, and judging by current usage, it also won’t be very successful. In reality, higher-density development is needed only at the destination point for a monorail-type system to work. The origination point is unimportant: People can drive a mile to a collection point, park their cars and get on a monorail as long as it drops them off within walking distance of where they want to go.

Do we have enough “density of destinations” to justify a monorail? I think so. That’s why we already have traffic jams around South Coast Plaza, the Irvine Business Center, Anaheim Stadium, the 91 Corridor and other locations in the county.

Coincidentally, most of these areas are next to freeways, which are the most logical and inexpensive rights of way available for a monorail-type system.

It will be good advertising, too. Picture creeping along the Santa Ana Freeway at 5 m.p.h. in rush-hour traffic as the monorail whooshes by overhead. That, finally, would get people out of their cars.

JOHN B. BERNARD

Santa Ana