Parks, Homes, Bikes, Trains? Debating RR Rights of Way

Lake’s article is typical of academic attitudes. The freeway system, as expensive as it is, is a failure. To build out of our congestion would cost $110 billion with no guarantee that the traffic problem would be resolved.

It is guaranteed that it would make the smog, acid rain, global warming problem much worse, not better. And, of course, it would perpetuate our utter dependence on automobiles.

I suggest that Lake find her freshman economic textbook; look up the law of supply and demand; reflect on the fact that our freeways are plagued with too much demand, our transit systems with too little (she did get that right). Then write a 500-word paper to explain why these conditions exist.

The truth is that we have congestion, air pollution and even more serious ills, such as global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and a number of economic and social problems, because Americans are heavily bribed to drive their cars and trucks. Our transit systems have been bankrupted because the playing field is severely tilted economically in favor of automobile and truck use.

STANLEY HART

Los Angeles