By Frank Muller Santa Monica
Sometime last year when Rep. Henry Waxman's methane leak objections to extend the Downtown subway past Western Avenue under Wilshire Boulevard all the way to Santa Monica were revoked, I wrote a letter saying this whole project was a tremendous waste. Most professionals would NEVER take the subway. I have traveled all these arteries including Olympic, Pico, Venice, Washington both ways for the last 30 years and Wilshire Boulevard is indeed the most congested, but unfortunately also the most status conscious road!
Not only will drivers not take the subway because of inconvenience, and status careers/jobs but they will be so angry at all the traffic tie-ups from constructions during the next five to eight years that they will simply retaliate by continuing to drive. The red Rapid buses are good enough! Or at best, we could return to the surface Red trolleys of the past.
Please stop this bill!
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 17, 2007. Read the original PDF.