L.A. WeeklyAn Aqua Line to the Sea
Christine Pelisek’s article about extending the Wilshire subway beyond the Wiltern
[“Red Line to Somewhere”]
reminded me of 20-plus years spent commuting along the infamous boulevard. Perhaps
transit theorists think that drivers will abandon driving their autos through
the Westside and read their newspapers on the express bus instead. Well, they’re
in for a rude awakening, as anyone who lives or works near the Wilshire corridor
knows what will likely result if the experimental bus lanes are extended all
along the corridor. Soon there will be general gridlock during evening rush
hours. A revolt will ensue, much like that which followed installation of diamond
lanes on the I-10. A bit of perspective is in order.
Stop and analyze a street map of the Westside: the even distribution of east-west
corridors diminishes as one proceeds west from the central city. Traffic is
forced to merge onto five overburdened arteries: Sunset, Santa Monica, Wilshire,
Olympic and Pico. This alone is reason to seriously consider a more efficient,
high-capacity option, separate from the surface roadway.
Any thorough long-range analysis of the comparative efficiencies and impacts
of all possible modes of public transit solutions as applied to the livability
of the Westside urban axis would mandate only one sensible outcome: That the
cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica along with the private
sector and the state and federal governments work toward implementation of subway
technology.
Now we are planning a corridor for light rail, a form of technology that is
in no way comparable with the capacity, speed and urban compatibility afforded
by subway technology. The planned alignment will run south of the Santa Monica
Freeway, bypassing the most vital and dense portions of the Westside. This southerly
route does not solve the problem given that a majority of the Wilshire Corridor
is not served. Better it would be that the Exposition Corridor is used for a
temporary solution akin to the Chandler Bus Corridor in the Valley.
And in gazing westward toward Santa Monica, over what continues to be America’s
most aspiring urban corridor, we might also try to imagine a long-range future
with more fine, efficient and convenient options in navigating urban terrain.
As historian Asa Briggs once said of London, let us take in the entire scene,
as in an angel’s eye view, all of the astonishing length and breadth of our
great postwar urban axis, the intricate and exhausting interweave of arteries
and corridors. Something better must emerge. We need an Aqua Line extending
all the way to Ocean Boulevard.
—John Crandell
Westwood Village
Be Outraged, Not Calm
In his piece “Calm
Down, Sgrena” [March 11–17], Marc Cooper has succeeded in taking his place
amongst the ranks of media intent on discrediting the messenger rather than
reporting the story. Cooper charges Sgrena with overdosing on ideology at her
“suggestion” that American troops fired with the intent to kill as she and Nicola
Calipari were on route to Baghdad airport. This is Cooper’s “hard-nosed critical
view of the war”? Why isn’t he examining what we as a nation might have been
responsible for to cause this and numerous other unreported checkpoint “incidents”?
Wouldn’t that be more journalistically productive than staging further attacks
on Sgrena’s assertion of “premeditated ‘assassination’ ” on the part of the
U.S.? Why not ask who hands down the policy of shoot first and make excuses
later? The Sgrena incident points a spotlight on the administration’s blatant
disregard for human life.
It is disgusting and disheartening that an alternative weekly runs Marc Cooper’s condescending comments of Sgrena’s harrowing experience, with ass-covering, vague damnations of the war and one-sided speculations culled from “our own press,” and passes that off as thought-provoking news. I charge you to live up to your column title, Marc Cooper, and report what’s really going on.
And L.A. Weekly — stop being an apologist for the Bush administration, and present us with alternative accounts from those on the receiving end of U.S. policy. Let us be uncomfortable. Let us be outraged. Let us be moved to act.
—Sue Benarroch
Los Angeles
Escape From Silver Lake
In a preview for a show at Spaceland [Picks of the Week, March 4–10], Falling James wrote: “Ten years ago, Silver Lake was still a diverse neighborhood that included musicians and artists who were drawn by the area’s relatively cheap rents and bohemian-friendly vibe.” To Falling James I say, What a tragic story. I hate to piss on your chips, old son, but Silver Lake hasn’t been a diverse neighborhood since the early ’80s. And the bohemian-friendly vibe died for good when the moneyed punk jocks of the just-post-grunge era moved in for the kill. Their hard and fast “Melrose East” arrangements quickly made the remains of sleepy gay, Latino and truly bohemian (I’m talking eccentrics: people who would dress their cats up as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and have little “royal” tea parties) Silver Lake a thing of the past. And if the ’90s crowd couldn’t see their SUV-owning spawn coming, then I say dip them in batter, deep-fry them and eat them. Some people are just greedy and have a need to destroy the world.
I escaped from Silver Lake ten years ago. I’ve never looked back at it or its provincial status. I’m happy here in the center of town, with all of its eroticism and truly talented working artists.
—Chris Lissner
Los Angeles
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