More Freeway: There Goes the Neighborhood

Re “Ventura Freeway Plan Sparks Outcry in Valley,” May 13: 78,000 hours saved by 328,000 vehicles every day ... that’s what, about 14 minutes per car? Is that reason enough to squander $3.4 billion on another Caltrans boondoggle? I submit to Ken Alpern [who is in favor of the expansion] that I didn’t choose to live in a recently built-up suburb in the far reaches of the Valley as, apparently, he did. I see no reason why I should give up my home so that he and others can save 14 minutes a day.

R.L. Giannangeli

Toluca Lake

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The various articles and discussions regarding the widening of the 101 Freeway are supplying us with much verbiage but not much sense. To be sure, eliminating all those homes and businesses will provide more room on the freeway at great cost and inconvenience. To what end? At the rate our population is growing, within a few years the freeway will undoubtedly be just as crowded.

It is time we looked at what other countries and cities are doing -- rail traffic, but even more specifically, elevated monorails. The cost of elevated rail traffic does not require tearing up land or taking up space on crowded streets. A monorail could be built along the freeway, or even better, along the center of the freeway, with reasonably spaced stations. Why is this approach not being considered?

Sanford Rothman

Los Angeles