No one can deny car convenience has led to car congestion. Despite congestion, car convenience continues to be so desirable that it now frequently leads to saturated roadways where one can jog faster than the “progress” of traffic.

Rather than continuing to tolerate further saturation of traffic on Highway 1 for at least another 10 years, why not encourage the saturation of families and tourists to bicycle at their preferred pace upon the transportation corridor that runs across much of Santa Cruz County and has been mostly unused for the past 10-plus years? By offloading local traffic from cars to even more flexible and environmentally favorable bicycles, more roadways will regain car convenience that will improve traffic flow for those who have no other choice.

Moreover, more than one train going in opposite directions on the same track at the same time is not a favorable foundation for an active commuter system trying to safely accommodate impatient passengers. With relatively short distances between stations, it requires precisely timed switching to avoid head-on train collisions and won’t be half as efficient as an inherently safe double-track configuration.

Meanwhile, significant roadway space has become available over on Highway 1. If a pair of railroad tracks can’t fit in the middle of Highway 1 (where higher-speed transportation belongs) then one dedicated bus lane (down the middle) may want to be strategically considered to directly alleviate traffic.

Since a bus is flexible, it can accommodate the same “risky siding” concept (“siding” is a section of track allowing trains to pass each other) intended for the supposed single-track commuter train — or better yet, a dedicated bus lane can favor passenger routing and then allow safe return loops making use of the lesser congested direction on Highway 1 during the morning commute, then (after reversing the bus lane direction in the evening) again making use of the lesser congested direction in the opposite direction.

Morning bus drivers could be responsible for travel upon the one dedicated bus lane in the Watsonville to Santa Cruz direction (to ease the morning commute) then on Highway 1 in the reverse direction for repeated safe loops. After a break to switch drivers, buses could reverse direction. Afternoon bus drivers could then be responsible for travel upon the bus lane in the Santa Cruz to Watsonville direction then returning via the less congested direction on Highway 1. If there is not enough room to provide separate lanes, this would improve car congestion better than any single-track system.

It was revealing that the most vocal “expert” train lobbyist who supposedly supports rail and trail, recently partially exposed his facade noting that if there wasn’t room for both … “the trail could go anywhere.”(There is no safe elsewhere!)

It needs to be emphasized:

• Cars have exclusive use of freeways;

• Pedestrians should have exclusive use of sidewalks.

Bicyclists of all ages should not have to choose between riding upon sidewalks or risk their life trying to share a roadway with cars. A safe trail upon the corridor is vital. We need to accommodate people, not freight trains. Implementing a freight train or “wannabe bus” that may look sleek standing still but forever tethered to a railroad track requires all passengers to switch to alternative means to complete what should have been a simple trek to a popular tourist attraction (such as Capitola Village), and only serves special interests.

What benefits the most, costs the least, is the safest and most expeditious as well as most flexible, is being unnecessarily delayed for years.

Our local government can save taxpayers endless millions (and lives as well as improving quality of life for so many beyond just ourselves) by implementing the Interim Trail now. Perhaps this real-world implementation can be the best use of the transportation corridor that runs across much of Santa Cruz County until a means is found to safely transport people from where they are to where they want to be.

Bob Fifield is an Aptos resident and retired engineer.