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# What’s light rail without parking?
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/whats-light-rail-without-parking-editor/
- Published: 2008-04-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:10:15.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica Airport, #archive-import

*By Dick Orton Santa Monica*

I read with interest the story about light rail coming to Santa Monica in a few years (“A glimpse of the near future,” page 1, April 3). This is an important part of the traffic relief we have been looking for since John Jones sold his first lot here in 1875.

But there was an important component, vital to the success of this effort that was missing from the plan … parking. I don’t have statistics but it’s clear that if one can drive to a light rail stop and park there, all day, it is likely to be more attractive to riders and commuters. Convenience is everything. But land for parking is expensive on the west side and currently not a component of the Santa Monica light-rail stops.

So why not continue the light rail a couple of blocks to the beach? The sprawling lots sit there empty 90 percent of the time, and could provide perfect parking for commuters …. Conversely, the beach is an obvious destination for a light rail line for people seeking fun and recreation.

Building a light rail line to the west side and going almost to the beach makes as much sense as building a light rail line that goes almost to the airport.

If so, without the benefit of convenient beach parking, I’m afraid light-rail ridership is destined to be disappointing.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 8, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/040808.pdf?ref=smdp.com)