Farmer’s Market Traffic Mess I’m writing in response to “Farmer’s Market to Expand” (Feb. 2). As a homeowner in the Fairfax area, I am extremely concerned about this expansion. I have lived in the Fairfax area for six years, and have seen an increasingly frustrating traffic problem go from bad to worse. The thought of the Farmer’s Market adding 750,000 square feet is appalling, and the thought of having to live with that kind of traffic problem is frightening. The worst traffic congestion in the Fairfax district can be found at the corner of Third Street and Fairfax Avenue. This traffic congestion is caused by the Kmart, Ralphs and Sav-on on the southeast corner, the Farmer’s Market on the northeast corner, and a multi-storied building on the southwest corner. Compounding the traffic problem is that many senior citizens and domestic workers use this intersection to catch the north/south and east/west buses. As senior citizens pass away, the multi-building, mega-apartment complex Park La Brea (two blocks east of Farmer’s Market) is increasingly renting to young families. Further compounding this problem is Museum Row (four blocks south of Farmer’s Market) and Midway Hospital and the adjoining medical office complex (six blocks south of Farmer’s Market). Daily commuters to this intersection can vouch for me when I say that this intersection is to be avoided at all costs. This area is so densely populated and increasingly so that the Farmer’s Market expansion will turn a horrible traffic situation into a daily nightmare. Some neighborhoods have already instituted permit-parking regulations. I, however, would like to keep my neighborhood’s quality of life enjoyable so friends can visit us without the fear of having their cars towed. I favor free-market enterprise, but unfortunately the Farmer’s Market expansion would be an enterprise that would unfavorably affect the quality of my neighborhood and life. ESTEBAN RAMIREZ Fairfax district
