The Search for Remedies to Problems of Growth

I am writing to respond to the letter by Kelli Ryan (Nov. 5). Ryan says that she “is proud of what the building industry has contributed to solve problems like transportation in our community.” It’s bad enough that you would publish a letter gloating over the questionable decision to overturn San Clemente’s Measure E, slow-growth, but a sentence such as the one quoted really bites me.

Over the past 10 years, and particularly over the past 5 years, traffic congestion has become intolerable. It is frustrating that more and more cheaply made, extravagantly expensive housing projects have been slapped up on every available bit of open land in this part of the county. There are not enough roads to handle the people using them. Maybe I’m blind and don’t know it, but I haven’t seen developers contribute a thing toward improving road conditions.

Measure E was a cry for help. That it has been overturned is a tragedy. One cannot deny people the right to live here, but surely government must provide adequate roads to provide for our new residents. It hasn’t. Developers haven’t. What is happening here?

M. WAGNER

San Clemente