Santa Monica Freeway Reopens

* In response to “I-10 Is Reopened--but Spans Need Retrofitting,” April 12:

The early reopening of the Santa Monica Freeway has been heralded as an example of the government’s use of market incentives to benefit society. Supposedly, the $200,000 bonus for each day the project came in ahead of the deadline was a small price to pay when compared to the $1 million in economic losses caused each day by the closure.

But take a look at the actual analysis and a different story comes out. Almost 90% of the $1-million-a-day price tag is attributed to “wage losses” caused by commuter delays. These losses, however, are imaginary, since commuters either learned to leave a few minutes earlier, or worked a little later. Yet it is these very same losses that Gov. Pete Wilson used to justify shelling out an additional $14.5 million; nearly doubling the total cost of the project. I may not be an economist, but spending real money to prevent imaginary losses doesn’t seem to make good business sense.

So what is the outcome of this marriage of business and government? Contractor Clinton Myers plans on buying himself a “bigger airplane” with the profits, while the rest of us taxpayers are left with just another example of wasteful government spending.

ADAM GERSTEIN

Los Angeles

* I am amazed at the critics who wrote letters about the Santa Monica Freeway repair costs (April 12). Where were these concerned people when the contracts were being bid and let? If they preferred the Santa Monica Freeway repair to take the full nine months, why didn’t they speak out in January against the contract targets? If they disagree with the Caltrans cost estimate to L.A. of $1 million each day the Santa Monica Freeway was closed, why wait until now to wake up and complain? Incredible.

JOHN TOMPKINS

Woodland Hills

* In your story about the need to now retrofit the newly rebuilt Santa Monica Freeway bridges, Frieder Seible, chairman of a Caltrans advisory committee of, ahem, outside experts, says, “If we have a big earthquake, then yes, there can be serious damage to the extent where the bridge structure would have to be closed temporarily for that damage to be repaired.”

Uh, gee, Frieder, a big, uh, earthquake. Do you mean something along the lines of a, uh . . . oh, say a 6.8?

And politicians wonder why the voting public thinks they’re all knuckleheads. Geez.

MARK OWEN

Chatsworth

* We are writing in protest of the decision not to retain the car-pool lanes on the reopened Santa Monica Freeway.

When car-pool lanes were instituted on the 10 in the wake of the Northridge earthquake, thousands of us created car-pools--almost 1,800 per hour according to one published report. We rearranged our schedules and overcame our L.A.-engendered fear of not having our cars with us at all times. Given proper incentives, we did the right thing, thereby reducing the number of cars on the road, the emissions released into our air, and the wear and tear on the roads.

The decision to eliminate the car-pool lanes will not only anger the neo-car-poolers but also will send a message to other drivers that because the freeway is now whole, it is OK to go back to the one-person, one-car dictum. This is wrong! Bring back the car-pool lanes on the 10!

JENNIFER R. DeVORE

GAY KENNEY

Santa Monica

* It seems to me that there is something missing with people in the greater Los Angeles area when it comes to car-pooling, car-pool lanes, or ride-sharing in general, as it pertains to governmental involvement. The point is not that government is coming down on people and mandating fines to those who drive illegally in the car-pool lanes to prove that people must submit to the will of the government. The point is that we have lousy, rotten air that needs to be cleaned up! Period!

Car-pool lanes, it is hoped, encourage those who would otherwise drive alone to car/van-pool. Traffic congestion is only a secondary consideration to the air quality regulators, since the air is still further polluted by cars parked on the freeways. Opening car-pool lanes on weekends and holidays, and during non-rush-hour times is a viable option, and must be permitted by Caltrans. It is done in other metropolitan areas.

And ask any physical education teacher in the area about their kids’ endurance and lung capacity. The EPA has statistics clearly showing breathing difficulties among children and seniors in this area versus the rest of the U.S. Any effort by any one person can make a difference. It’s up to us. Now!

MARTIN S. GELBAND

Tustin

* The rapid repair of the freeway shows what the people and government of California can do when they want to. It is all too easy to see that the people and government do not share a similar commitment to crime (all it would take is funding more police on the beat) or education. But, then, driving to the beach is so much more important than saving lives and educating children.

E. N. ANDERSON

Riverside