Text of member Alexander Friedman's letter/article rebutting contentions of a group of Beverly Hills residents objecting to a proposed routing of the Metro Purple Line extension. Alek submitted the article to a variety of local media outlets, all of which passed on its publication.

As a resident of traffic-choked and car-obsessed Los Angeles, the city that's starving for adequate public transportation, I am truly amused how some people don't understand the basics of mass transit, and still demonstrate their old-fashioned "car-only" mentality by opposing vitally important transit projects to go "through their neighborhoods". Having watched "Beverly Hills Residents' Opposition" video, and having read some strange (to put it mildly) comments by the subway opponents, I would like to add a few comments of my own.

First, some people have this paranoia of thinking that a subway train would run under their bedroom (almost literally), without realizing that subway can be built deeply and safely under the earth's surface, making it impossible for anyone to notice; homes or businesses are not affected whatsoever; technology has also been improving throughout the years. In many cities throughout the world (newsflash: Beverly Hills is not the only rich town in the world!), subway lines go directly under residences, including expensive homes and various multi-use complexes and structures. So far, I haven't heard a single case where a home was damaged, or seriously disturbed, by a passing train underneath.

Second, some opponents mentioned that "property values of their homes would decline", but actually the opposite is true: Experience has shown that property values next to transit hubs and transit-oriented development (TOD) centers have increased. It's no wonder: Subway, as well as other fixed guideway, is a major transit improvement to any area, and draws more development, converting a dull neighborhood into an upscale community, now attracting more people who are interested in living/working near a subway stop and the TOD. Thus property values do increase; the quality of life at the subway station locations improves substantially, as well.

And finally, subway opponents (aka NIMBY's) are actually shooting themselves in their own foot -- figuratively speaking -- because they keep confining themselves to their cars, refusing to give themselves an option to choose subway -- a much more reliable and faster way to commute, especially in rush-hours.

So, those Beverly Hills residents, as well as other opponents and NIMBY's, need to get some education about benefits of public transportation, namely about subway construction and its total safety; they need to be educated how superior subway service is over driving in rush-hour traffic. All cities worldwide have vastly benefited from subways, including Los Angeles (the currently operating Red line is so popular, that its ridership has overcome all projections; commuting by train from Hollywood to Downtown L.A. takes only 15-18 minutes, verses 30-45 minutes of drive-time.)

I sincerely hope Beverly Hills residents will start thinking outside the box, will stop their selfish NIMBY attitude, and think globally, not just about their little backyard; after all, Beverly Hills is a part of Los Angeles, where a comprehensive & reliable public transportation system is urgently needed. A long time ago Beverly Hills perhaps was a secluded suburban town, but those times are long-gone, and some areas of Wilshire Blvd, including Beverly Hills, are some of the densest in the United States. And the only way Los Angeles can get out of the traffic crisis is by presenting a reliable alternative, like in other major cities across the world -- a comprehensive Metro Rail network.