To the editor: It will be helpful for all involved to notice that there are various bridges accessing Terminal Island and the Los Angeles/Lengthy Seaside harbors (“A bridge too far? Vincent Thomas plans put Port of L.A. at odds with locals,” Sept. 20).
It will even be helpful to notice that the purpose of bridge development on the harbor is to maneuver containers to and from their ships. Of their collective knowledge, the Los Angeles/Lengthy Seaside harbor departments, Los Angeles County and the railroads constructed a freeway for containers, recognized at present because the Alameda Hall. This rail channel, parallel to the 710 Freeway, presents nonstop, no-grade crossing entry to and from the harbor. Coupled with the big enhancements to rail and vehicular site visitors stream on Terminal Island, the presently underutilized Alameda Hall can expedite container site visitors whereas decreasing the air pollution plaguing the harbor space.
Stevedoring and trucking pursuits, nonetheless, have the ear of metropolis corridor, shaping essential financial selections of their favor regardless of the voters’ needs. We supported the Alameda Hall with our tax {dollars} with the hope that it might cut back freeway and bridge site visitors. As a substitute, we see hand-wringing uptown and wild schemes that can price much more cash (yours and mine).
The Vincent Thomas Bridge just isn’t “important.” It must be saved in good condition — and even raised in the long term — however separate that difficulty from the political actions essential to really resolve the harbors’ issues. The instruments are already there.
Joe Strapac, Bellflower
