Los Angeles is the City of Cars!

A state lawmaker from Los Angeles County has introduced legislation that would block freeway expansions in underserved communities across California.

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) said her bill would prohibit the state from funding or permitting highway projects in areas with high rates of pollution and poverty and where residents have suffered negative health effects from living near freeways. With crowded streets and freeways Garcia says people should be using public transportation.

Garcia is wrong.

This proposal to stop highway construction is a utopian dream by environmentalists that will impact the lowest paid workers who will be forced to have longer commutes to work in unsafe public transportation.

Like it or not California’s life blood is the automobile.  Los Angeles is the city of cars. More than our means of transportation to our jobs, cars take us on trips to our favorite destinations on the coast or the mountains.  While the Metropolitan Transit Authority is building new lines to reach more parts of the community the ridership on buses and light rail has declined in the past few years.

Arguments that freeways have impacted minority communities more than other part of Los Angeles just does not hold water.  Examples are the Hollywood Freeway that diagonally goes from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley.  The Golden State Freeway that parallels the railway line and original surface street highway in the San Fernando Valley.  The Harbor Freeway parallels Alameda Street from Downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach.  The Ventura Freeway paralleling the original U.S. 101 was cut through high priced home neighborhoods from Studio City to Woodland Hills.

Public transportation has too many issues.

– Crime on public transportation is a known fact for most people.

– Seating is uncomfortable.

– Bus service is infrequent and unreliable.

Angelinos love their cars.  They take owners directly to their destinations.  The seats are comfortable and the music or talk on their radios is their choice. 

Los Angeles is the city of cars and most of us love it.