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# In a state of decay
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/in-a-state-of-decay-editor/
- Published: 2008-09-16T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T21:02:04.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Downtown, #archive-import

*By Martin Rubin West Los Angeles*

J.W. Petoria closes his letter to the editor clearly admitting that Santa Monica is a city in a state of decay. For too many years, the city has backtracked from its glory days as a protector of the environment and has opted for a magnitude of growth that is worthy of a New York City borough, resulting in an unprecedented increase in traffic into and out of Santa Monica. So much so, that Santa Monica is now clearly recognized as the major influence of Westside gridlock. Santa Monica is now desperately seeking to have new arteries built to relieve the existing, now-clogged, arterial streets. Exposition Rail and Subway to the Sea will only continue to make Santa Monica feel more like New York City, but apparently Santa Monica cannot handle the New York load. Protecting established trees from unnecessary destruction addresses this out-of-control growth. It certainly also addresses global warming.

Visiting Santa Monica has become an uncomfortable adventure of fighting noise and traffic and the Wednesday Farmers’ Market has been replaced with a comfortable visit to the Sunday Mar Vista Farmers’ Market.

The city argues the trees had to be removed for safety reasons, but one only has to walk or drive in Downtown Santa Monica to realize how unsafe it has become. With no usable sidewalks on either side of some streets due to construction and tree destruction, pedestrians are forced to walk adjacent to dangerous traffic. Where is the logic? J.W. Petoria got one thing correct; Santa Monica is in a state of growth decay.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 16, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091608.pdf?ref=smdp.com)