Dear MTA board members:
I am writing on behalf
of Friends of Southern California’s Highways, a
community organization dedicated to the rebuilding
and expansion of our regional highway system.
We would like to express our support for the I-710
extension through Alhambra, South Pasadena, and
Pasadena. This 6.2-mile stretch of freeway is a
major gap in our freeway system and needs to be
completed. The rest of the Long Beach Freeway
was completed decades ago, and the existing gap was
supposed to be finished as well. Today, there
is severe traffic on surface streets in the area,
especially Fremont Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue,
because the freeway has not been completed. The
traffic congestion has a severe impact on the cities
of Alhambra and Pasadena, as cars that would be on
the freeway are instead clogging the local roads,
making it very difficult for residents in the area to
access the amenities of their city. If
completed, the 710 would significantly improve the
quality of life in these communities, and it would
provide a much-needed bypass of downtown Los Angeles.
There is major traffic congestion on the downtown
freeway circle; some people are forced to drive
through the area because the unfinished Long Beach
Freeway does not provide them the freeway route that
they need. Also, the Foothill Freeway between I-5
and Pasadena is underused, and could be put to better
use if the Long Beach Freeway were completed.
There is overwhelming
support for this project. The people of
Pasadena voted last March to support the completion
of the I-710, when Measure A was adopted with a solid
majority voting in favor. The city of Alhambra
is a strong proponent of the 710 extension, because
the city has to suffer with major traffic congestion
because of the missing freeway. Even the
community of El Sereno has agreed to support the 710,
since it will be built on a depressed profile.
The only communities in opposition are South Pasadena
and (to a lesser extent) La Canada Flintridge.
It is not fair that South Pasadena has been able to
stop this significant regional transportation project
for decades. The narrow-minded local interests
of the people of South Pasadena should not be allowed
to subvert democracy. There is significant
popular support for the completion of the Long Beach
Freeway, so please support the project when it comes
up for debate at the July 26 board meeting.
Sincerely,
Mike Pratt
Director, Friends of Southern California’s
Highways
