Driving forces.

As traffic problems become an increasing dilemma for L.A.'s quality of life, Mayor James Hahn pledges to focus on solutions for the city's busiest intersections, while his challenger in the May election, Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, said he'll address the issue in broader strokes. So the Business Journal asks:

Do you believe the mayoral candidates when they promise to relieve the city's traffic jams?

Sean Killebrew

Advertising Director

411 Publishing

No, because it doesn't sound like they're willing to dedicate the necessary financial resources to the problem. I haven't seen or heard anything that I think will have a great impact, at least any time in the next couple of years. I think the system needs to be overhauled. We're overpopulated. I don't have a solution, but then I'm not running for public office, either.

Roger Christensen

General Manager

Laemmle Theaters

I think we have a desperate need for more rapid transit. I think that we also have a misconception that transit alleviates traffic. The San Diego (405) Freeway will always be jammed, but we still need alternatives. There are no traffic jams for people riding a subway. I ride the subway under the Ventura (101) Freeway twice a week and it doesn't matter if a truck has jackknifed above me. I believe the candidates in terms of their long range plans but no one's going to solve anything over a four-year term.

Bonny Herman

President, Chief Executive

Valley Industry and Commerce Association

Show me the money. It's a matter of priorities. The mayor has to juggle them all and has to live within the budget. There are competing interest groups, all of which are seeking solutions. The future mayor has to find ways to deliver to his various constituencies. So far, it's all rhetoric and I'll be watching closely to see where transportation solutions land on the list.

Dana Gabbard

Executive Secretary

Southern California Transit Advocates

Their hearts are in the right place, but the mayor by himself doesn't have the ability to do all that much about traffic. They're not magicians. L.A. is just one city out of 88 in the county. There are so many levels of government that have a hand in the issue; it's something not even an extremely skillful politician alone is going to be able to grapple with. The problem calls for something that most politicians would never want to touch, which is challenging people to rethink how they are willing to live.

Manuel Criollo 

Organizer

Bus Riders Union

I'm deeply disappointed in both candidates. They have almost forgotten that the MTA has an obligation to fulfill a consent decree to reduce overcrowding on MTA buses and create new bus lines and services. Both of them are running on an aggressive platform to extend the Red Line to the sea, which would cost $350 million per mile before it even runs. There needs to be a moratorium on this form of construction. I think it's been proven that light rail projects haven't been able to cure traffic or improve public health.

Mike Cullen

Stock Trader

MDB Capital Group

I go from Seal Beach to Santa Monica in the mornings and it's generally not a problem, but I'm driving at 4 a.m. I don't see how the mayor can deal with traffic on the freeways. It's more of a state issue. Traffic turns my drive home after 2 p.m. from a 35-minute drive into a one hour and 15 minute drive, minimum. I can see that they're extending the car pool lanes on the freeways, and they move quite quickly, but that's going to be outdated in the next couple of years. If I could take rail, or even a boat, up to Santa Monica, that would work.