City Council Seeks Support on Bill Pertaining to 710 Freeway

At last night's city council meeting, council members urged South Pasadena residents and neighboring community officials to write legislators asking them to support State Assembly Bill 353. The bill, which would allow the city of South Pas to regain veto power over freeways built within its jurisdiction, will go before the California Assembly Committee Monday. 

"This is important for all those concerned about the tunnel and freeway and for those who want to make sure it doesn't come through their community," Mayor Mike Ten told Patch early Wednesday morning. "They [the cities of South Pasadena, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Alhambra] currently don't have a right to say no, they need to know that there is a bill coming on Monday."

Ten wrote to Senator Kevin de Leon and South Pas state representative and Assemblyman Anthony Portantino on April 14 asking both to co-author the bill "as it repeals Section 100.4 of the Streets and Highways Code." 

"It's not fair. We should have a say," said Robin Finkelstein, who has lived on Fremont Avenue for the past four years. Finkelstein is against the freeway, saying it will put a lot of people out of homes.

While Ten also opposes the 710 freeway, he is undecided about the tunnel. 

"I've always been against the freeway; I fought it when I was in high school, and I'm fighting it again today," he said. "The concept of the tunnel is promising, but all that will come out in scoping." 

More importantly, however, he is encouraging elected representatives to get involved and show support for Bill 353.

"I've been calling, but I'm not getting any help — no responses from councilmen in other places. This is a bill we worked hard to get up there," said Ten. "If it doesn't get passed on Monday, then the bill is dead. It's the last time in this decade that anyone will consider removing this exclusion."

Early November, the South Pas City Council voted  stating its opposition to "any proposal, surface or subsurface to extend the SR 710 freeway." Opponents of the freeway cite disruption and environmental issues, while supporters believe it could help free traffic in certain areas of the city. 

"It's wrong to do it to an historic city. There are other routes to use," said South Pas native Matty Hurtado-Sokolow. "This has never been done before. It would be chaotic and expensive. It would ruin the small city, and it won't make traffic any better."

State assemblyman Gil Cedillo is carrying this year's repeal bill. His office expects the bill to clear the committee without amendments next week, according to Neon Tommy.