Columbia not thinking forward with bridge

Howard County is looking at a too-expensive, overbuilt transit bus bridge over U.S. 29 between Oakland Mills and Columbia Town Center ("In Columbia, bridge is sought to unify towns," April 24). A too-occasional bus won't help the main problem — pedestrians who feel unsafe trapped on the bridge.

The U.S. 29 bridge, if not already adequate, should be built to carry an electric minibus on one alternating direction lane between Town Center and Oakland Mills' village center, schools, and library, tying-in with existing transit stops and schedules. This dedicated minibus would run frequently and late enough that even pedestrians and cyclists not riding it would know they were being watched over and feel safe.

A huge, expensive, two-lane bridge for old-time transit buses mirrors transportation plans to build 19th century solutions (trains) to a 20th century problem (sprawl) in the 21st century. The modern solution would be the Street Elevator: automated electric cars summoned by smart phone from the closest drop-off. Self-driving cars being tested promise safe, clean, smooth, dense traffic so that existing roads will be adequate. As a first step, these could replace existing para-transit, as expensive as Metro and Light Rail combined, but serving 5 percent of the riders.

James Kelly, Ellicott City