Regional Mass Transit Plans
The idea of rail transportation in Southern California has been derailed many times by old-fashioned attitudes such as the ones expressed by William Fulton in his Opinion article (“Transit Rides the Rail Right-of-Way With Opportunistic Approach in L.A.,” Oct. 21).
One attitude is that Southern California is so spread out that only a handful of us will benefit from rail transit. Another is that many commuters can’t--or won’t--use rail transit regularly. Both of these attitudes are wrong. Times have changed!
The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC) is building an integrated system serving all of Southern California with light rail such as the Blue Line, heavy rail such as the Red Line subway, long-distance commuter rail, which we can start very quickly on our new 175 miles of right-of-way, plus the freeway system, surface streets and buses. Everyone knows that we will also need our freeways, streets and roads for people who will need--or prefer--to use their cars.
All Southern California will benefit because we have saved the Southern Pacific rights-of-way for future generations.
NEIL PETERSON, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Transportation Commission
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
