By Ken C. Arnold Santa Monica
Regarding “Red Line to Santa Monica could lose strongest opponent” (SMDP, Nov. 30, page 1). The total failure for decades to address the issue of a westside subway by a host of political changelings who come and go without as much as a peep or some others like Henry Waxman, who managed to hold on to their elected employment borders on the absurd. Because Los Angeles is America’s major trading conduit with Asia, the importance of its transportation network is principal not just to California, but to the whole country. Our local government leaders are failing us because they refuse to take on projects which enhance the region’s infrastructure. Important leaders accomplish and finish important projects. Average or below average politicians do average things or they do nothing at all. Los Angeles is not getting its proper share of the nation’s wealth that could be used to develop critical projects such as the westside subway. Sadly, a subway line is also needed under other crucial transportation routes such as under Lincoln Boulevard from Montana Boulevard in Santa Monica to LAX, and perhaps beyond. Decades of weak, politically impoverished leaders who carry no heft on a national level have left Los Angeles with little to show in the way of transportation improvements. A subway could be just as transformative and revitalizing for the future of our city as the freeways where to mid-19th century Los Angeles. Huge vital and aesthetic infrastructure projects are embraced in China’s great cities whose leaders have a keen eye on the future. Here, most of our local politicians seem to have to apologize before even broaching the subject of even a simple lane addition on the 405 — much less a westside subway. With the cost of gasoline to only continue to increase over the coming years wouldn’t it be smart to get going with some of these projects before the weight of these problems are too much upon us?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 6, 2005. Read the original PDF.