Gov. Larry Hogan's decision to end further spending on the proposed Red Line does not deserve the thoughtless condemnation it received from The Sun ("Hogan goes off the tracks," June 26). The Red Line as planned was, indeed, the wasteful boondoggle described by the governor. But it didn't have to be.
The Red Line could have been an important link to Baltimore's two other rail transit systems — the Metro and the Light Rail. While both of these free-standing, north/south systems are flawed, they would have been significantly enhanced if truly connected to an east/west line. But such a connection was impossible so long as the Red Line's planners and supporters continued to stubbornly insist on construction of an extraordinarily expensive and redundant downtown tunnel while refusing to consider less expensive, more efficient alternatives.
The common sense displayed by Governor Hogan and Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn is a refreshing change from the hubris of their predecessors.
Benjamin Rosenberg, Baltimore