Commuter Rail Is a Fine Alternative
* Your editorial of April 16 (“A Train of Thought”) awakens my own nostalgic train of thought.
I grew up in the suburbs of New York City and did not learn to drive until I was over 21 years old. There was always the bus or the train to take me anywhere.
Indeed, as a child I was able to explore Manhattan from the Bowery (once was enough) to the Museum of Natural History (I was a planetarium freak).
Now that I am over 65, I toot around Orange County (and L.A. when I have to) in my Honda Civic, hoping that when I have to give it up, there will be another bus or another train to take me places.
In fact, my daughter, a typical Orange County brat who had a mommy-chauffeur and then her own car, ended up in her own car to the train station and Metrolink into L.A. for her job.
She made wonderful friends on that train, and totally enjoyed it.
The Orange County Transportation Authority should get on the ball. We are not as car-bound as we pretend. Nor can we continue to drive without constraint. Gas gets scarcer and more expensive, we get older and we can’t pave over every last inch of Orange County.
We need all the possible alternatives, including trains.
EILEEN GERSHON
Orange
* I believe your editorial in favor of commuter rail for Orange County is misguided and fails to portray the big picture.
The mayor and City Council of Irvine and the Orange County Transportation Authority have proceeded to force a CenterLine rail project directly into the backyards of Irvine homeowners.
Initially, this project was kept low-key until some Irvine homeowners heard of the rail plans and proceeded to get the community involved.
This entire rail concept is ill-conceived and has so many negative connotations, not the least of which would be an increased crime rate.
Our community would also begin to suffer significant traffic and parking problems. These issues would certainly result in decreased real estate value.
The OCTA needs to remap its strategy and realize the negative impact this commuter rail would have on Orange County homeowners.
I. TATRO
Irvine
