Expanding transit long-term solution

The debate over Proposition 1 needs to take into consideration both short and long term effects. The writer of “No plan would be better than this” letter suggests the plan saddles taxpayers with a “huge, regressive, never-ending” tax burden and focuses the money on “light rail, which will provide zero congestion relief.”

Perhaps in short-term thinking, this would appear true. Most Washington drivers have no intention of forsaking their automobiles for light rail, and only see a solution in adding more lanes and better ramps to highways and freeways. But in the long term, you have to admit that laying more asphalt and concrete is not the solution — the new lanes are over-filled the morning they open!

The long-term solution to our congestion woes — which will provide relief for years down the road, while we’re still paying for it! — is to build and expand alternatives to the private automobile. Why are Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, even Los Angeles embracing new transit systems if light, and heavy, rail do not offer congestion relief? Expanded transit routes, including buses, will not always be convenient for everyone, but for every vehicle removed from our over-burdened road system, the better off everyone — drivers and riders alike — will be.

Evan Garrett

Everett