Transportation and Quakes

* Among the many sobering realities brought clearly into focus by the recent tragic earthquake is Southern California’s extreme vulnerability to its transportation system. As the extent of damage inflicted becomes apparent, we must question critically the confidence we have placed in the automobile as our transport medium of choice.

There is no single solution for Los Angeles. Expanding local bus service will help, but we have seen that when our highway systems are damaged, this option is also hindered. One bright spot that has emerged in this otherwise disastrous situation is our new rail transit network. Metro Link was in service just hours after the earthquake hit, transitioning smoothly from near-empty to overcapacity in a few days.

The Metro Red Line subway system Downtown and the Metro Blue Line light-rail system from Long Beach were undamaged and back in operation the next morning. In fact, if not for the 5.5 magnitude aftershock which prompted additional inspections, these rail systems could have been in service the same day, paralleling the critically important performance of San Francisco’s BART system following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The need to move people efficiently from one section of Los Angeles to another is of paramount importance if we are to rebuild and revitalize our local economy. As we continue the process of setting future priorities for Southern California, we need to escalate efforts to move more aggressively toward the implementation of a true multi-modal mass transportation system, incorporating our existing network of freeways with light and heavy rail transit and bus systems linked to our airports, seaports and centers of commerce.

LEONARD J. PIERONI

Chairman, Parsons Corp.

Pasadena

* Commuting by bicycle is among the ways to ease traffic congestion. Although many bicyclists have commuted long before the Northridge earthquake, many new and less experienced riders have taken to the road to avoid gridlock and “do their part.” We do our best to move with the flow of traffic and avoid potential hazards, such as opening car doors, narrowed lanes, and careless drivers making left and right turns across our paths. In turn, we ask for a bit of attention paid to our presence, and perhaps some acknowledgment that we are decreasing the actual number of cars on the road.

P.S. My friend Carol Landers and I commute on our bicycles 16 and 28 miles, respectively, Monday through Friday.

LOREN KARP MURPHY

Santa Monica