$650,000 spent to rename Pasadena Freeway, add new signs. Is it worth the cost?
Do you like the new (old) name for L.A.'s oldest freeway?
The Pasadena Freeway is receiving new lighting, an improved center divider and decorative low walls along its shoulders. And to commemorate the changes, the California Department of Transportation has decided to rechristen the Pasadena Freeway back to its old name: The Arroyo Seco Parkway.
The new "Parkway" signs are being erected along the 5 Freeway between the 2 Freeway and 1st Street; along the 101 Freeway from Alvarado Street to Soto Street; and on the 110 Freeway between Wilshire Boulevard and Pasadena.
The signs will cost about $650,000 and take three months to install.
What do you think about the name change? "In this economy why spend money on something like that? Leave it like it is," resident Miguel Mendoza told The Times' Bob Pool. Read more on the Pasadena Freeway name change here. Then tell us what you think below.
Photo: The roadway was called the Arroyo Seco Parkway when its first six-mile section between Pasadena and Avenue 22 opened in 1940. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
"...the California Department of Transportation has decided to rechristen the Pasadena Freeway back to its old name: The Arroyo Seco Parkway." Who decided? Caltrans is not a person - who in Caltrans decided to spend this money? And, what were the other priority projects?
Posted by: C.D. Stratton | June 25, 2010 at 11:44 AM
off course is NOT WORTH IT...that's just money that's being wasted is unbelievable how they can spend money like that when we need it.
Posted by: brenda | June 25, 2010 at 11:45 AM
re previous comment:
"Shouldn't it have been called: camino por arroyo seco?"
It's not Mexico yet.
Posted by: Jack a Roe | June 25, 2010 at 12:09 PM
I love that the State is finally recognizing both the historical significance and original name of America's first 'freeway.' These funds were allocated years ago and this construction project is generating jobs in our community and helping local businesses. Sounds like a total win-win to me!
Just think how this historic parkway hugs the once amazing Arroyo Seco River where trout teemed. Such historic sites as the Southwest Museum, Lummis House, Mount Washington and Heritage Museum Square are all within sightlines from this 'freeway.' Add all the great art galleries, taco trucks, local eateries, and the Gold Line, and you can see why I love hanging out in this neighborhood all the time.
When the project is finished, I hope that Caltrans will close the freeway for a day the way they did with ArroyoFest so we can all walk, bike and skate down this amazing feat of engineering and architecture!
Los Angeles is such a fabulous place to experience when you get out of your car and look around!
Posted by: ArroyoLover | June 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
This is a stupid way to spend $650K when the state is billions in debt.
Posted by: West Valley Dave | June 25, 2010 at 12:29 PM
No.
Posted by: Steve | June 25, 2010 at 01:29 PM
Are you kidding??? Where do we find the idiots that authorize that kind of spending??
Someone needs to be fired over this!!!
Posted by: jim | June 25, 2010 at 01:39 PM
NO! This is just the kind of fund allocation that I can't stand. How about Mass Transit????
Posted by: Gino | June 25, 2010 at 02:44 PM
The upgrade is much better and looks much better. Some of us need tolearn about the history of this parkway. This project has dragged out 17 years in the making, and you can blame CalTrans for that. And speaking of CalTrans ask them about the $780,000,000.00 dollars they have been mandated to spend on the SR-710 extension studies in neighborhoods that don't want it running below or through their communities. So when I drive and notice the new signs I think they have been long overdue.
Posted by: Tina Miller | June 25, 2010 at 03:42 PM
The “spin” (eg. cost of new signs) put on this news item was terribly disappointing to those of us who have worked since the early 1990s to rehabilitate this historic parkway. The point of returning to the original name of the “Arroyo Seco Parkway” was to not only celebrate the parkway’s unique position in American road building history (which is why it is eligible for the Naitonal Register of historic Places, was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record and designated a National Scenic Byway), but also to remind the driving public that this is a parkway, not a freeway. Parkways were aesthetically integrated into the landscape and were meant to be driven at a leisurely pace. The Arroyo and the parkway are beautiful when driven at the original speed of 45 MPH. Unfortunately, the driving public approaches this parkway like a speedway—with often disasterous results. Hence, in 1992, State Senator Richard Polanco approached Caltrans to develop a traffic calming strategy, with community input, to return the road to its original design and purpose. Officially restoring its historic name, as required by State Law, along with adding new safety features and refreshing the landscaping, was always part of that community-developed strategy. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was highly supportive of the strategy when he was Speaker of the Assembly, while Congressman Javier Bercerra deserves recognition and thanks for obtaining special federal funding for the project. So, that's who made the decision on this project--your neighbors and elected officials. The real story here is why it took almost 20 years of concerted community and elected official pressure on our state’s highway agency to realize this project (the entire roadway rehabilitation, not just the name change). Believe me, it didn't have high priority. Caltrans has been reluctant to do ANYTHING in the Arroyo Seco corridor since the early 1970s, so the fact that any public money at all has been spent in this consistently ignored corridor is a cause for celebration, not derision.
Incidentally, most of the monies for this project is for traffic control (labor), not signage (materials). The signs are going up at major interchanges in downtown LA that handle insane amounts of traffic. Those of you who want to direct traffic in the middle of the freeway are welcome to take on the job. Don't forget to wear an orange vest and a hard hat.
Posted by: Diane Kane | June 25, 2010 at 04:42 PM
To get rid of stupid actions in politicians you need to read and learn and get involved to VOTE THEM OUT. They like to waste money because it's fun for them!
Posted by: Sunshine Connie | June 25, 2010 at 05:00 PM
This is an area that is an historic gem. The new freeway, when it went in, put the area of Highland Park in the doldrums. Now people are once again appreciating the history here and wanting to recognize the historic nature of the oldest "parkway" in the city with a few new signs that call it by its original name, the money allocated long ago. Thank goodness we get to celebrate the fact that we have a little civic pride. I'm going to love seeing those signs on this pretty old gal. This change is good for LA and it's good for you and me.
Posted by: Marilyn R | June 25, 2010 at 05:34 PM
You know what I was thinking as I was sitting in traffic on the 110 Pasadena Freeway the other day, " Man, I really wish there were new signs on this highway. That would really help this city's transportation problems. I mean 2 lanes is already way too many for this small city. And besides, we already have a robust public transportation system, so, lets not fix anything, lets just add new shiny metal to the overpasses to look at while we're sitting in traffic, breathing in the fresh smog."
Posted by: v | June 25, 2010 at 06:49 PM
Instead of the LA Times posting the article with little backup maybe the media might for once post the actual cost details instead of just trying to incite anger, or get web hits? If the point of the article is to get the project stopped then state that but I wonder how many other caltrans projects that don't happen to be in "east LA" are just as costly but don't seem to get picked up by the media.
I would challenge anyone who thinks this is a waste of money (or not budgeted) to look at the history of this project and compare it to those other similar projects caltrans has taken on.
Calling it stupid simply based on two short paragraphs by the LA Times is just as ignorant.
Posted by: ckemp | June 25, 2010 at 08:28 PM
I bet "Tony Villar " got a kickback from the sign contractor.
Posted by: apachecraig | June 25, 2010 at 08:29 PM
This reminds me of the decision some years ago to change the name of the Jefferson Freeway (near Louisville, Ky.) to the Gene Snyder Freeway to recognize a local politician. My Uncle Lyn always thought it would be much cheaper for Snyder to change his name to Jefferson than pay for all those new signs.
Posted by: Artquest | June 25, 2010 at 08:34 PM
This reminds me of the decision some years ago to change the name of the Jefferson Freeway (near Louisville, Ky.) to the Gene Snyder Freeway to recognize a local politician. My Uncle Lyn always thought it would be much cheaper for Snyder to change his name to Jefferson than pay for all those new signs.
Posted by: Artquest | June 25, 2010 at 08:34 PM
I LOVE the signs. With LA's roadways so boring having this is a plus for the community. Reading the complaints and moaning is soooo LA.... me, me, me, I hate and so stupid that they fail to see the significance. These signs were ALREADY part of the fix up and approval a few years ago. Deal with it. If you don't like it get involved with your community, vote, call your elected official, volunteer. I second the other commentator that it provided many with a job that's actually cool and I'm all for closing the parkway once a month on a weekend morning to walk it, ride it like the Ciclovia and enjoy its unique qualities.
Posted by: Markus | June 25, 2010 at 08:42 PM
What a ridiculous waste of money. Will the idiocy never end?!
Posted by: Rachila | June 25, 2010 at 09:53 PM
What a ridiculous waste of money. Will the idiocy never end?!
Posted by: Rachila | June 25, 2010 at 09:53 PM
It's not $650,000 just for signs. This is the Times being stupid.
Posted by: allen | June 25, 2010 at 10:04 PM
well, 650k sounds like a lot of money - but think of how many people were employed to craft and install the signs. Someone made the signs, someone shipped the signs, someone installed the signs...along the way, each of those businesses employed those plus support staff. In theory(remember the "trickle down idea from the 80's), the owners of the businesses that made, shipped and installed the signs put that money back into the economy. If this was all done here in the United States then I think it was worth it. However, if signs are made in China - well, so much for my grand idea of putting people to work here...
Posted by: anonymous | June 25, 2010 at 11:34 PM
State Shortages
County Shortages
City Shortages
No Money for education, MediCal etc.
Hey look we found some money, should we help the education system? No! Should we put some money away for a rainy day? No! Should we use the money to pay down debt? Heck No!
I know lets put up some signs on the Freeway and let the Taggers draw on them. That's what we should do.
Posted by: Captain Howdy | June 25, 2010 at 11:40 PM
What wasn't mentioned is that these freeways signs were going to be replaced whether they said Pasadena Freeway or Arroyo Seco Parkway. Caltrans is slowly replacing all the old dark green "button text" signs with new, brighter and safer ones. The name being Arroyo Seco Parkway on these signs is irrelevant and cost nothing. They would have spent the $650k to replace old, damaged, and unsafe signs anyway.
Posted by: Drew | June 25, 2010 at 11:44 PM
nearly three quarters of a million dollars for this?
What a ridiculous waste of money when funding for other, far more important projects can't be had.
Posted by: Gilda | June 26, 2010 at 12:01 AM