Editor,

In his Op-Ed piece last Sunday (Let's reframe trail-rail discussion, 7/22) Dave Meserve got most of the story right. “Mount Indianola,” the proposed interchange at the Indianola cut-off on route 101 between Eureka and Arcata, part of a $55-62 million project, is not justified given the effectiveness that reducing the speed limit has had on reducing accident rates. The safety corridor has 1/3 the number of accidents as your average California roadway of similar length and traffic volume. Given Eureka’s plans for over $130 million in traffic congestion relief projects over the next 20 years, investment in mass transit and bicycle infrastructure is starting to look like a better alternative.

Meserve has it wrong, however, with the idea that light rail will fulfill our mass transit needs. Light rail is not compatible with the other planned uses for the rail, would require two tracks so trains could move in opposite directions (there is only one) and is inappropriate for our small dispersed population.

Bus Rapid Transit would be a more realistic way to provide high quality mass transit at one third the operating costs, and a fraction of the capital costs. Features like low-floor, easy to board buses with signal prioritization, dedicated lanes and queue jumps in congested areas, and stops limited to “stations,” work together to form a realistic mass transit system that works like light rail but is more flexible, more fuel efficient and cheaper to operate.

Unrealistic railroad dreams have clouded Humboldt County transportation policy long enough.

Chris Rall

Arcata, CA