710 extension: Battle lines drawn

Cities neighboring South Pasadena have long made it clear they think the town is being selfish by steadfastly refusing to extend the 710 Freeway (the other cities get the spillover traffic when the highway now ends in Alhambra). Now, they have enthusiastically signed onto the new effort to complete the "missing linking" by tunneling.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is poised to go forward Thursday with $13-million preliminary engineering and technical studies of a proposal to build four-mile tunnels to connect the 710 and 210 freeways. Depending upon the results of those studies - and the political will of the MTA board, the next step would be a full-blown environmental study.

Who is opposed? Many of the same South Pasadena residents opposed to the freeway project for decades. Elected officials in South Pasadena, however, have agreed to stay neutral for the time being. But they and La Canada Flintridge officials worry that the MTA is prematurely committing itself to build tunnels. Elected officials from the San Gabriel Valley cities of Alhambra, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and South El Monte meanwhile, want the freeway gap closed - any way possible.

-Jean Guccione

What do you think about the politics of the 710 extension? Hit COMMENT below and speak out!

Comments

[Mark]

Built it. In fact, build all of the freeways that were orginally planned, such as the Laurel Canyon Freeway/La Cienega Freeway, the Slauson Freeway, and an east-west freeway through the area south of Hollywood.

Oh - and complete the Glendale Freeway so that it connects with the Hollywood Freeway.

The planners knew what they were doing decades ago. It's too bad that the well-to-do were able to stop them.

[AKK]

The whole traffic problem in LA/OC is the cause of too much suburban sprawl. Rising transportation costs is only making the situation more untenable. The solution is not more highways, more roads, more pollution. We have to realize that LA/OC is already far above capacity.

So what happens if the freeway extension goes through one day? Developers are able to sell more housing in exurb communities? Are we trapped in this cycle of infinite suburban sprawl and growth?

South Pasadena should be commended for standing up to this cycle of lunacy.

[jeremy]

james, ventura and laurel are backed up due to the 101 being over used and over capacity. are you suggesting that we build a tunnel in the san fernando valley to accommodate traffic?

what ever it is you are trying to say about the san fernando valley is almost entirely unrelated to the issues of the 710 extension and valley blvd.

i sincerly hope that this tunnel goes forward or something gets put in place to free up the parking lot that is valley blvd and fremont everyday of the week

[Ivan]

If other cities sacrificed their own land for the 710, what makes South Pasadena so special? 3 million dollar homes? I always see banners and signs against the 710 freeway, but what about the neighboring cities that get horrid traffic and polution? Imagine a parking lot of idiling cars? I hope the neighbouring cities win the battle and get the tunnel built. South Pasadeneans stop being so close minded and help close the gap.

[Jim Thomas]

What's unique about the traffic problem in Alhambra is that it is caused by a flaw in the freeway system. The freeway was supposed to be linked up to the freeway in Pasadena. Instead, for decades the freeway traffic gets dumped in Alhambra.

Regional traffic that would remain on the freeway then interferes with local traffic on Valley and on Fremont.

Whatever is going on in the San Fernando Valley is not the result of such a situation in Alhambra.

Just build the tunnel and fix it.

[Yu-Han]

Notice that Pasadena is no longer putting its full support behind this insanely expensive tunnel plan.

[Jamesrapp]

For now I will reply to the comment that it takes 30 minutes to go two city blocks on Valley Blvd. As a resident of South Pasadena with family in San DIego county I am often travelling on Valley Blvd and the 710 freeway. I lived many years in the San Fernando Valley with regular trips to Hollywood and the west side. Valley Blvd has no where near the congestion of SFV blvds like Ventura and Laurel Canyon where indeed it can take up to thirty minutes to travel several city blocks or Sepulveda Blvd through and below the canyon linking the SFV and west sides. That stretch is heinious with traffic congestion. Valley Blvd and adjacent streets are a breeze by comparison.

[Jason Hoppe]

Please! Let it be done! I'm tired of it taking 30 minutes to go two city blocks on Valley Blvd.