Traffic is THE Issue

January 28, 2002

Dear Editor

Thanks for another insightful column. ("WHAT I SAY: The First Rule of Economics: Talk is Cheap," Jan. 27) However, one point I would take you to task on -- your apparent fait accompli on traffic.

You suggest that it will continue to coagulate whether due to development or merely sprawl,
thus we might as well make a dime off of it either way.

Living in the Pico Terrace Neighborhood (lost between the UnUrban Cafe and 99 cent store)
I am troubled by two things related to development (Lantana or otherwise).

One, it can take me 15 to 20 minutes to navigate south on Stewart from Olympic to Kansas some evenings (longer than it took me to return to Santa Monica from jury duty in downtown L.A.!), and...

Two, the number and speed of the vehicles that already are attempting to run the blockade via Urban Avenue. My children are aged 3 and 5 and do not quite understand that some of the pilots of those SUVs are willing to gamble with their young lives to get home five minutes earlier.

Thus, whatever the case, traffic is THE issue. At least it is for me and most of my neighbors. You will find that until a solution is obtained, we will be against further development and/or sprawl. We will just have to make do with less in order to see our children reach the age of majority.

Respectfully,
Marc J. Sanschagrin