Put Light-Rail Line Where People Live

It is good to read in The Times (Aug. 10) that the Santa Fe/Amtrak station in Pasadena is to be acquired by the city of Pasadena and further developed for transportation purposes. This is a very positive step in the right direction.

However, I would caution against attempting to place the light-rail alignment along the Santa Fe right of way through Pasadena. Putting light-rail vehicles on the same track with standard railroad commuter trains probably won’t be accepted by the Federal Railroad Administration for safety reasons, and is not a good idea in any event. This line should be retained for longer-distance commuter trains.

The light-rail line should avoid the freeway at all costs. Such transit services serve people, and people are not to be found along freeways. Instead, the line should be routed down a major street through the heart of where people live and work. Past experience in Chicago and elsewhere shows that freeway transit stations are seldom well-patronized because they are regarded by potential riders as too far and difficult to get to.

ROBERT A. RAMSAY

Arcadia