Beautify the Entryways Into Downtown L.A.

Steven Coker, volunteer freeway landscaper, deserves the praise expressed in your April 7 article “Splendor Blooms on Inhospitable Ground.” But his efforts and the need for such labor should be a source of embarrassment for Caltrans officials and for our civic leaders.

On a recent return from Shanghai, as I traveled the Santa Monica Freeway from LAX, I was genuinely dismayed by the neglected state of the landscaping. With vivid memories of Shanghai’s beautifully landscaped access ramps to plant-lined freeways, I was embarrassed by the condition of this major travel artery into downtown Los Angeles. Can’t officials heed the example of one dedicated volunteer in creating a point of entry into downtown L.A. that is worthy of our city?

Gloria R. Lothrop

Pasadena