Finally, since the federal government can no longer pay for new highways or fix the old highways, we must shift our focus from government funding to private capital. Private companies will build new roads in exchange for the trip tolls that will provide investors a profit. Furthermore, tolls ensure a funding source for maintaining our highways in the coming decades—a guarantee we do not get from federal construction funds.

We should take inspiration from former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who knew when to stop talking and start digging for New York City's La Guardia Airport. Summoning the presidents of the seven major airlines to his office in February 1944 for a final meeting about the runway layouts, La Guardia wrote, “Come prepared to make any suggestions or forever hold your peace. … I expect to have the matter finally, completely and definitely settled. You may bring anyone you desire from your engineering, technical and piloting staff. Lawyers cannot contribute anything, this is not a legal matter.”

Without leadership, we are on a road to nowhere.

Professor James E. Moore II is director of the transportation engineering program at the University of Southern California. He can reached at jmoore@usc.edu. Nat B. Read is the 710 Freeway Coalition chairman.