The following excerpt appeared in the Pasadena Star-News on October 28, 2016. To read the full commentary, click here.

Measure M can thaw L.A. County’s glacial traffic: Guest commentary – Pasadena Star-News

Car and truck traffic flows through the interchange of the 60 and 57 freeways in Diamond Bar. (File photo)

By David Fleming and Gilbert Ivey

October 28, 2016

[Excerpt]:

Without action, Los Angeles traffic is about to get a lot worse. More productive hours of the day will be wasted on jammed highways. The snail’s pace of delivering goods and services will continue to drive business away. The spirit of even the most optimistic Angeleno will be further crushed with each freeway standstill.

This is the high cost of doing nothing — as this newspaper’s editorial board has recently and shortsightedly recommended.

Doing nothing lets time take its toll on new and beautifully working light rail infrastructure. Doing nothing discourages businesses and visitors from choosing Los Angeles over areas with lighter traffic and fewer headaches. Doing nothing simply lets the force of traffic, like a massive ice formation, slowly encompass the city, engulfing each passible route.

Thankfully, many of our 88 city and county leaders, in their foresight, have conceived a proposal for the November ballot that aims to thaw this glacier. This alternative is Measure M, the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan. The Los Angles County Business Federation (BizFed) and countless other organizations encourage Los Angeles residents to vote yes on Measure M.

David Fleming is the founder of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed). Gilbert Ivey is chairman of the BizFed board.

To read the full commentary, click here.