Morning traffic blues

Southern Californians had a major awakening during the morning commute to school Thursday.

Commuters started the day like any other day, drinking coffee in a stupor, gathering unfinished homework and leaving early to leisurely listen to talk radio during the routine drive to Cal State Long Beach.

All was well until the police decided to close the Southbound 405 Freeway around the South Bay area.

Traffic jams are occurring more often due mostly to one thing - overpopulation.

Los Angeles' population is growing quicker than the roadways can handle and congestion, lately, seems to be occurring throughout longer periods of the day.

Two solutions are available. Either we stop driving and center our lives around the one-mile radius of our homes or we develop a mass-transit system.

The first alternative is highly improbable. The second is practical, economical and environmentally safe.

Besides easing congestion, rail systems reduce pollution and noise, utilize space efficiently and are economically friendly.

A mass-transit system does not necessarily mean higher taxes. Taxes can be added to our already low-fuel prices or a minimal tax could be established for tourist items such as hotels and amusement parks.

Traffic is only going to get worse. To maintain a high-quality of life, we must preserve our most precious resource - open space.