Busway and Community Interests

Hopefully, our elected officials will take note of “A Busway for All” (editorial, July 2). The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed use--and beautification--of the railroad right of way would benefit all the communities it serves. The Lankershim Boulevard/Oxnard Street alternative would be a costly mistake. Historically, the objections of relatively small groups have caused the San Fernando Valley to lose out on transit projects and other public improvements. Other parts of the county have put our money to good use while the Valley stews in its own gridlock.

The great majority of people would like better public transportation, but they do not address the issue with the passion the opponents use. That does not justify overlooking or shortchanging the transportation needs of the 1.5 million residents of the Valley.

Marcia Mednick

Woodland Hills

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As the Valley and MTA ponder the busway detour dilemma that panders to one Orthodox Jewish community at the expense of its neighbors, it’s time Angelenos consider what a majority rule democracy really is. The MTA just passed a scaled-down Westside light-rail system (June 29) to Venice and Robertson boulevards to avoid having to immediately deal with an MTA-imposed detour that panders to Cheviot Hills at the expense of the rest of the Westside.

The controversy and expense created by this detour threaten our ability to link light rail from downtown to Santa Monica. The MTA will have to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to correct yet another MTA-imposed detour of the Green Line to LAX, a detour lobbied for by shuttle companies and other groups at the expense of the taxpaying majority. No one forces a community to build next to an unused rail system that might be developed. No one forces the MTA to cater to a minority while the will of the majority gets thwarted.

Kenneth S. Alpern

Los Angeles

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Please do not lead readers to believe that the forces opposing the Chandler bus route are only Orthodox religious groups concerned with pedestrian safety. Many residents and homeowners in the North Hollywood and Valley Glen areas also oppose this busway. We have no affiliations with religious institutions in the area but enjoy our quiet residential pocket and would like to keep it that way. There has never been any attempt by the MTA to maintain the railroad route. We have lived with graffiti, vandalism, squatters, trash and litter, and we have even entered the MTA-owned area to trim trees and cut away brush. Why would we expect anything different now?

Suzanne and Imre Gal

Valley Glen

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The Times--not to mention busway opponents--misses the larger point: To oppose the busway is to favor a more dangerous community with more cars, more traffic and more chances of accidents. The goal of mass transit (including projects like the Exposition and Eastside light-rail lines) is to get people out of their cars. An effective busway will reduce aggregate traffic in the Chandler corridor and reduce trips in personal cars, which are the real menace to pedestrians.

Josh Stephens

Los Angeles