L.A. traffic sucks! Let's fix it once and for all!

L.A. traffic sucks! Let's fix it once and for all!

What would you say of a city with some of the most perfect weather in the world that borders the Pacific Ocean to the West, the Santa Monica Mountain range to the East and an endless urban sprawl to the North and South? Its whole metropolitan area, extending as far north and as far south as the eye can see, holds probably over 20 million people and at least 10 million cars. Its public transport system was dismantled by the oil and car companies in the 30's and 40's to ensure their own selfish success and guaranty the subsequent uncontrollable urban sprawl it spawned--which would ultimately benefit them. The 1965 riots created panic among the richer western inhabitants of the city and killed the construction of a more comprehensive subway system that would have connected the eastern and western parts of the city. Its extensive freeway system, even though loaded with at least 4 lanes in each direction, wasn't meant to handle the traffic capacity it's called upon to handle at rush hour everyday today...

A few decades and major explosive, exponential growth later, what do you have? A little mess of unbelievable proportions that angelenos patiently put up with like herds of sheep in cars as the price of living in an "exciting little hell." You see them scurrying around through backstreets and putting up with endless stop signs--anything, anything to advance past the jammed gridlock and get where they're going. Some people simply refuse to go out at all weekdays from 6:00 to 9:00am and from 3:00 to 7:00pm.

I lived this little "inferno" for three years. While I rode the bus and was lost in a book or magazine, I was oblivious to it. Whenever I drove, I felt like screaming, "Who created this @$#^% mess! L.A. traffic sucks! Let's fix it once and for all!"

While the first part of the title says it all ("L.A. traffic sucks!"), it is the second part ("Let's fix it once and for all!") what we would like to concentrate on. Ranting and raving might bring attention to issues, but I doubt it ever solved anything. I would actually like to propose some simple SOLUTIONS that came to mind while driving around in that maze...

This is something I feel pasionate about. I like writing about things I feel passionate about...

So, for whatever it's worth, here it goes... Take it or leave it...

Make it viral. Make it vital...

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