A.M. Greenlist: The tolls of traffic

>> Why we have horrific traffic snarls in SoCal. The fact that we haven't invested enough on public transit's obvious, but Jeffrey L. Rabin and Dan Weikel of the L.A. Times point to a second reason: "For years, elected county and city officials across Southern California have put economic development and jobs ahead of mobility, approving major commercial and residential developments without requiring builders to pay enough for improvements needed to handle extra traffic."

>> The psychological toll of long commutes. Symptoms range from road rage to "a feeling of being out of control."

>> The health toll of long commutes. "One stark study, published in 2004 in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that nearly one in 12 heart attacks was linked to traffic. Left unresolved was whether the culprit was stop-and-go car exhaust, which can starve the heart of oxygen, or stress, which spikes blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart attacks."

>> How to save $10+ on your next day on the beach: Take the bus! Tara tries out the Culver City bus for 75 cents, avoids $10 parking fee plus $4.38 per gallon on gas, enjoys sunny sands.

>> Earlier: De-car-ing. Fight traffic less, enjoy the city more and avoid being a designated driver -- all while having fun out and about.

>> Also earlier: Q&A: De-car-ing in the Valley, Q&A: Greening a cheap renter's long commute.

Photo: Richard Hartog / L.A. Times

Comments

[Tara]

Thanks for the link, i'm definitely bussing it more often. It's easier, greener and cheaper, can't ignore those reasons.