Candidate Q&A: The 710 Freeway

In weeks leading up to the , Patch is asking our nine City Council candidates a series of questions significant to the community.

Today's question: The extension of the 710 has been proposed as a surface, cut and cover or tunnel. Do you support or oppose the extension of the SR 710 in any form?

Alan Reynolds

I oppose all forms of the 710 extension. All forms of it would be destructive to South Pasadena for a variety of reasons.

Marina Khubesrian

My position is: No 710 extension in any form.

Ernie Arnold

I oppose any extension of the 710 Freeway. This freeway was proposed to cut through the center of our City with out regard for our rights as a City. The state has never compromised on the route selection because of objections from the City of Los Angeles. After sixty years it is clear that this freeway extension is neither critical nor urgent. Our understanding of the environmental impacts of these freeways have made it impossible to justify any extension of the freeway.

Richard Schneider

My position is unequivocal, NO EXTENSION OF THE 710 IN ANY FORM! I have always opposed the freeway in any form for some of the following reasons: It will not solve the traffic problem in the corridor; it would, in fact, increase the traffic and pollution; it would be an environmental disaster for South Pasadena and our neighbors; it would produce serious health hazards for everyone, and for seniors and children in particular; the cost for construction, operation and maintenance are prohibitive.

Light rail for commuters and heavy rail for goods movement from the ports are more cost effective, efficient and environmentally responsible. For the billions a tunnel would cost, light rail lines could be constructed throughout L.A. County, providing seamless connectivity that commuters want.

Art Salinas

I oppose the extension of the 710 in any form, surface, cut and cover, and tunnel. The great news is that after the Governor signed the Cedillo bill two weeks ago, South Pasadena now has the right to veto any freeway that will, directly or indirectly, permanentely close a street in town. For sure the surface route is dead.

Any tunnel is on life support because it is my understanding that neither a cut and cover, nor a full bore, can be built without directly, or indirectly, permanetly closing a street in town.

If elected, I will quickly move to amend our official position on the freeway to make it clear South Pasadena will never agree to any form of freeway. We need to do this to force Caltrans to comply with the law that requires them to sell any homes that are no longer part of a freeway plan, like those once beatiful, unfortunate, houses on Fremont near Columbia.  

Bob Joe      

No 710—surface or tunnel. When I was on the 710 Tunnel Technical Advisory Committee, I was very concerned with the potential health impacts from the emission ventilation towers and the very expensive cost estimate to do the tunnel. There are others alternatives to consider that are more viable and a lot less expensive to the tunnel options: expand the light rail line; improve the bus system; and distribute the containers from the ports by rail.  

Chris Glaeser

I do not support the extension of the 710 in any form, above or below ground. For too long the City Council has been a reactionary group, not proactive.

We must transform into a proactive City that builds coalitions with our neighboring cities to fight Caltrans and Metro locally and in Sacramento. Too often, others are dictating the legislation and we are reacting. Having developed and negotiated international contracts, I am qualified to strengthen our position in order to be successful in putting an end to the 710 extension.

David Margrave

No freeway. No tunnel. No way. Period. If we had a freeway going through town, traffic would be drastic in Pasadena—could you imagine the traffic that would be outflowed from an intersection at a gridlock at the 210/134?

I've been fighting the 710 for 40 years. Everyone says that. Mike Ten says that. He pushes for the freeway in a tunnel form. He and I were in Council together. He wanted one thing, and I wanted another. He was successful. I didn't fight hard enough. I'll fight harder this time.

Mike Ten

I oppose the proposed and designed 710 surface freeway that has been the only threat to our city since the 1960s. Any other form of completion is just conceptual; there are no other credible threats that have materialized in design form. I have never said I support or endorse a tunnel, but I have said the concept of one is promising. But comprehensive environmental review would be needed before I could recommend anything.