Wilshire Corridor Needs a Red Line Extension

Re “CPR for the Red Line Extension,” Oct. 10: Metropolitan Transportation Authority estimates of a Fairfax Red Line extension that would increase ridership by up to 50,000 passengers a day cannot be ignored -- especially since we are losing quality long-term alternatives to improve mobility in the Wilshire Corridor.

The issue of county, state and federal funding for tunneling goes beyond the Red Line. Certain very dense regions of any surface rail project will also require “tunnel segments.” There is another future MTA surface rail project, the downtown connector, to connect lines converging downtown to each other and to the massive downtown renovations being planned. That also will require a tunnel segment.

If we are willing to consider expensive “tunnel segments” to the 710 Freeway under South Pasadena, then we should certainly not preclude any necessary tunneling for mass transit.

Kenneth S. Alpern

President, Transit Coalition

Los Angeles

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This extension is long overdue, and the MTA should determine whether tunneling in the area is safe. Vehicular traffic along Wilshire is only going to get worse. Rapid buses and bus-only lanes may improve transit mobility, but they are not long-term solutions to increasing congestion. They slow regular traffic and could present problems for emergency response vehicles. We need a safe, fast and efficient subway system to complement an improved bus system.

Nate Zablen

Sherman Oaks