Reality Time in the Valley

When San Fernando Valley political and business leaders gather today in Van Nuys, they should have a single goal: to create a long-term transit plan that is economically and politically feasible. Then, they need to stick to it. But if history is a guide, that’s not likely.

Hobbled by budget cuts, cost overruns and a decided lack of direction, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has become the favored whipping boy of late in the Valley. And no wonder. The transit agency’s woes have forced indefinite postponement--read elimination--of the cross-Valley rail line and cast doubt on whether there will be much construction beyond the Red Line subway extension to North Hollywood.

Watching their transportation dreams crumble, Valley leaders called today’s summit to salvage what they could and, they hope, present a united front to the MTA. While the MTA’s internal problems are certainly to blame for many of the delays and mistakes, the very Valley leaders who are meeting today deserve a fair amount of scolding for the predicament.

Their lack of unity has hampered efforts to draft a sensible transportation plan for the Valley. Light rail or subway? Or Space Age buses? Along the Ventura Freeway or through the center of the Valley? Even after routes were set, the bickering continued. So as the Valley squabbled, MTA projects went elsewhere.

Clearly, the Valley suffers the same congestion as the rest of the region and deserves a fair shake from the MTA--as do all the communities it attempts to serve. But what constitutes a fair shake these days may not sit well with those gathering today. They need to forget their dreams of a Valley rail system and accept that transit improvements will most likely come through the bus system. The first step today should be to realize what’s not possible. Only then can the delegates agree on what is.