Rail line safety is not the only risk

Re “Safety issues may delay rail project,” April 17

Just as there’s a chance of rebuilding the electric rail line from Los Angeles to the coast, the state Public Utilities Commission throws cold water on the project, worried about safety. Never mind that railroads have been crossing streets for 170 years and that every rail line built today is safer than any line before it. Never mind that for any halfway intelligent urban dweller in the country, coming upon a set of railroad tracks should raise a red flag. Grade crossings are dangerous for anybody who isn’t looking where he or she is going, admittedly, but the expense of bridges or underpasses is so great that they’re simply rarely practical. And so the PUC and some residents will wail about the dangers, and we will all continue to face gridlock as we travel through L.A.

BOB BURKET

Santa Monica

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The PUC and some community members have raised issues about the safety of grade crossings for the Expo Line. Fair enough. Rights-of-way should include safety features, and drivers and pedestrians should heed oncoming trains. So far, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has pledged to do its part, and it should continue to respond to legitimate public and private concerns. But to delay the project, or worse, threaten it entirely, confers even greater risks on our city: the risks of more pollution, thicker traffic and scores of horrible automobile accidents that would be averted because of the Expo Line.

Streetcars and light rail have been operating safely in busy cities around the world for more than 100 years. Real danger arises when single-mindedness impedes progress.

JOSH STEPHENS

Los Angeles