Drivers’ Use of Shortcuts

Shortcut neighborhoods” have it rough, but so do we commuters. And it looks as if light rails are light years away to all of us.

Multitudes of us faithfully hope for a decent ride twice every day, but with radio traffic reports a half-hour behind the fact, we don’t know what shape the freeway is in until we’re in it. By the time we inch over to an exit, we’re broiled. Since there’s no help on the surface streets, either, we’re apt to turn on to some tree-lined lane just to regroup.

We need to know somebody’s trying to watch over us. How about adding some SigAlert signs at freeway interchanges and ramps? There could be a hawk-like accident monitor to warn us against entering or staying on the freeway. Pre-designated main arteries could be alternates, and maybe their signal lights could be temporarily re-synchronized by computer to keep through-traffic moving. That way, neighborhoods could keep side streets to themselves.

Traffic is not the weather. We can do some things about it. TOBI DRAGERT

Tarzana