The great Mississippi River has spawned enough American music, literature, and folklore to last an eternity, or at least until it's drained of every last drop of fresh potable water. And after that terrible demise, the great 405 fwy will still be flowing, my very own version of the Mississippi. Happily, this meandering geological demarcation happens to be just beyond my property line. (Above) Currently, the 405 fwy is undergoing expansion from the 101 fwy to our north down to the Marina to our south. It's great that the state of California is spending a grand total of $263 million to widen this estuary. This may improve traffic conditions for an entire fiscal year.
What a farce!
According to the o so reliable Wikipedia, there are roughly 26 million automobiles in the greater Los Angeles region. Sure, public transit has become more of an urgent topic. However, without a big push to promote bicycling culture, mass transit will never be able to achieve the density required to make bus and light rail an intuitive habit for the average Angelino. A stop will never be a 5 minute walk from everyone's doorstep.
Let's do the math: For this latest 405 fwy project, $263 million is being spent. If the state subsidized sweet ass bikes for the common commuter, this project could afford (at $200/bike) 1,315,000 bikes. Immediately, that's 5% of all commuters. Yea!
We've already conquered this junction of the 405 fwy!
Better yet...Although this may be a harder sale...
What if we all reverted back to horse riding? Sweet gothic romance throughout the sunshine/noir landscape of Los Angeles. Ever seen Ed Norton in 'Down in the Valley'? Let's say an average work horse costs $3000. That's 87,670 horses! Imagine what this could do to revive communities. Innercity riding trails, West Hollywood leather goods boutiques, riding the pony on your way to da club, sustainable transportation, neighborly interactions, and so on...
Let's get creative folks!
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