To the editor: That the HLA Measure passed so decisively is a huge step for democracy.
As someone who used to live in Los Angeles, I know that local NIMBYs can loudly shout about changes like the street safety improvements required by Measure HLA. But collectively, people can express that they want change by voting for it.
And they want Los Angeles to be a good place to live.
Peter Jacobsen, Port Townsend, Washington.
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To the editor: Google “Los Angeles streetcar map” and see what your commute would have been like a century ago.
Today, my commute is 45 minutes of agonizing traffic along the Pacific Coast Highway. A century ago, I would have walked a couple blocks, hopped on a streetcar, and read a book as I went along the coast, stopping just a couple blocks from my office.
We should bring back L.A.'s iconic streetcars, make them frequent and reliable, and give them dedicated lanes so they don't have to sit in traffic. We can get these dedicated lanes by eliminating parking on main streets. People could still park in parking lots and on side streets.
The passage of Measure HLA was a great first step, but we need improvements to public transportation throughout the greater Los Angeles area. A century ago we had excellent public transportation. There's nothing stopping us from having it again.
Devon Hollowood, Torrance
