On Both Sides of CenterLine

* I read with interest the column by Sarah L. Catz, public member of the Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors (“CenterLine Was Right, So What Went Wrong?” March 25). I also am a proponent of OCTA’s proposed CenterLine light-rail project.

Catz summarizes very well my frustration with how the CenterLine efforts proceeded. I especially felt stymied in my attempts to network with other segments of the community that support light rail.

Part of this may be due to the fact that many OCTA staff chose to remain neutral about CenterLine in their public dealings. That made it tougher for “friends of CenterLine” to find each other through OCTA channels.

Another barrier may be the awkwardness that some transit users like myself feel when trying to team up with more powerful transit stakeholders, such as elected officials, business leaders and community groups.

I was particularly struck by a comment that a transit advocate made at a recent CenterLine open house at OCTA headquarters. He explained to some attentive staffers that OCTA was allowing CenterLine’s detractors to plan the system for them, rather than those who are attracted to light rail.

So now I am joining with other public transit users in Orange County to form a “friends of CenterLine” group. Many other cities with light-rail projects have these groups. They greatly assist in building consensus and community ownership.

I hope others will connect with those of us who use transit. Together we can prepare to advocate more effectively and counter the misinformation as the next chapter unfolds.

BARRY CHRISTENSEN

Fullerton

*

* Sarah Catz just doesn’t get it. In her puff piece on the folly trolley she starts off with an opinion, labels it fact and proceeds from there. It’s consistent that she cites a Hollywood never-never-land movie script to set the theme of her commentary. Her mind-set is what is wrong with CenterLine. CenterLine just won’t work at moving enough people to make a difference--it won’t reduce traffic congestion, reduce pollution or get people out of their cars.

Light-rail transportation is not, as she wrongly asserts, quieter or safer than cars. For this drain train, she wants the taxpayers to agree to a bill for over $2.7 billion? I agree with her lament that a consensus is tough to build. It surely is with a lousy product.

Perhaps Catz was ill-advised or misinformed. Maybe if she would just read her own OCTA Draft Environmental Report, or her own OCTA Major Investment Study, and digest the facts therein she would understand the well-founded opposition.

ROBERT C. GEISS

Lake Forest