Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Rails, not roads, for Eastern Corridor

BY JOSEPH BOWMAN

As long as we're all moving at such a slow pace on our congested highways, let's take a few minutes to consider the alternatives.

In "Battle over the river" (Nov. 12), local officials complained that a lawsuit brought by three environmental groups to stop construction of a new bridge over the Little Miami River would delay construction of the planned Eastern Corridor Highway.

In a few years, I believe everyone may be thanking those environmentalists for their courage, wisdom and foresight.

Traffic congestion has never been solved by adding more highways or widening existing ones. In as little as seven years, the highway goes back to the same congested state it was in before construction began. Add in the construction delays, and you begin to see why this approach wastes both your time and tax dollars.

As for the Eastern Corridor Highway, planners assure us it will reduce miles and time traveling to and from work. How is this possible when the highway will dump commuters onto Interstate 71 near the Red Bank Road interchange? That makes the drive to downtown several miles longer than the present route via Columbia Parkway.

Does anyone remember the last time the Kenwood cut in the hill wasn't congested during rush hour? This kind of highway-merger-mania isn't going to make anyone's commute faster.

Now, let's move over to Eastgate for the trip home. The Eastern Corridor Web site estimates up to 40,000 vehicles will use the new highway each day. Do you really believe all that added traffic will make the commute through the Eastgate area faster? After a few short years, the Eastern Corridor Highway will only get you to the next traffic jam a little faster.

The best way to speed up traffic is to get cars and trucks off the road. That's why cities like Portland, Ore., Washington and Salt Lake City have invested in light rail systems and other mass transit. A light rail system in the Eastern Corridor could save both time and money by eliminating the need for another congested highway.

These systems can move more people more quickly and more safely than an interstate jammed with distracted drivers on cell phones calling out in one united voice "Sorry I'm late. I got stuck in traffic."

Joseph Bowman of Wyoming works in the engineering and physical hazards branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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