Plug for Light Rail

I am outraged that we, as voters in the San Fernando Valley, have elected someone like Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) to represent the needs of the people who live in this community. It seems obvious to me that Robbins either does not drive anywhere, or live in the Valley, or he would realize the need for a good, reliable, and clean public transportation system. Our current system, the bus, has none of the aforementioned attributes. However, Robbins seems to agree with the large car companies that a light rail would spread pollution and corruption among the more affluent neighborhood of Tarzana.

Light-rail trains do not “rattle along at grade”; a light-rail system is engineered to be clean and quiet. The city of Miami has an overhead rail system that has fingers to many of the outlying suburban areas; BART, the rail system in the San Francisco area, has many aboveground thoroughfares. Both of these systems are good examples of how public transportation can work for the surrounding communities of a large city.

Light rail is not Amtrak or Southern Pacific. Those people who purchased property along Chandler Boulevard knew before they signed the final papers that there was an existing rail right-of-way in the area. If we give in to those affluent near the Chandler right-of-way, then should we give in to those people who own property near the Burbank Airport and turn the airport into a lush parkland? Should the few people who knowingly purchased property along Chandler reap a profit from the loss of one of the few possible right-of-ways in this area?

With the large influx of people into this area every year, the traffic situation has become abominable. The Porter Ranch development will add many more people to the area by the time it is complete. Where will all the cars go?

If we plan now for our future, the transportation system will be in place and ready to serve the needs of the growing community. If we wait, as we have in the past, the costs will become prohibitive. Expanding freeways is not the solution; light rail is.

DEBRA COHEN

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