No long-term benefit from Baltimore Grand Prix

I hate to agree with Marta Mossburg about anything. But I think she is absolutely correct about her contention that the Baltimore Grand Prix is not the cash cow it is cracked up to be and will cause innumerable traffic snafus without any long-term societal benefit ("Grand Prix not so grand for Baltimore," Commentary, Aug. 17).

My issue is how are these preparations any different from the perpetual policy of gold-plating the freeways (favored by both political parties) to the detriment of transit systems without any foreseeable long term societal benefit?

Tearing up Baltimore streets for two years and snarling commuter traffic is not much different from subsidizing parking lots downtown for commuters with five car garages, building confusing a five-story interchange at I-695 and I-95 or the greatest boondoggle of all time, the Intercounty Connector with Lexus lanes.

The Grand Prix will also have the effect of snarling transit as well, since with the exception of the subway all Baltimore buses and light rail cars have to sit in traffic like everyone else.

Paul R. Schlitz Jr., Baltimore