Neighbors:

 

At last night's Pasadena City Council meeting, the council voted 5-3 to take a position officially opposing the SR-710 tunnel alternative currently proposed by Caltrans and Metro. The WPRA thanks the council for this historic vote and agrees that the tunnel, one of five alternatives outlined in the SR-710 Draft Environmental Impact Report - along with light rail, bus rapid transit, traffic improvements, and a no build option - would be devastating to west Pasadena's homes and neighborhoods.

 

Additionally, the council unanimously approved the recommendations of the SR-710 Alternatives Working Group, which was commissioned by Mayor Bill Bogaard and included WPRA President Geoffrey Baum and Vice President Sarah Gavit. The Working Group's initial letter to the city stated that the tunnel is not a preferred alternative for Pasadena and their full report recommended a holistic approach to both local and regional mobility systems, including improved operations of the existing road network, a Complete Streets approach, a network of mobility hubs, modified light rail and bus rapid transit systems, and bicycle network improvements.

 

Prior to last night's meeting, the WPRA sent a letter signed by Baum and three past presidents to the City Council urging them to vote against the tunnel, endorse the recommendations of the Working Group, endorse the Connecting Pasadena Project (which is engaging local residents and planning experts to create a vision for the future of the 710 stub), demand that Caltrans/Metro provide a cost benefit analysis of the proposed 710 project, demand that Caltrans/Metro study the environmental impacts of a potential tunnel boring machine failure, and agree that Measure A should not constrain councilmembers' ability to speak and vote on this critical issue.

 

The SR-710 DEIR was released on March 6, 2015, and is currently open for public comment until July 6, 2015. The WPRA has assembled a team of experts to respond to the deeply flawed report.

 

Caltrans/Metro is holding three public hearings to accept public comment on the DEIR:

 

Tonight, Tuesday, April 14

Map viewing: 5 to 6 p.m.

Public hearing: 6 to 9 p.m.

Pasadena Convention Center

300 E. Green St.

 

Wednesday, May 6

Map viewing: 5 to 6 p.m.

Public hearing: 6 to 9 p.m.

La Cañada High School Auditorium

4463 Oak Grove Dr.

La Cañada

 

Thursday, May 7

Map viewing: 5 to 6 p.m.

Public hearing: 6 to 9 p.m.

Los Angeles Christian Presbyterian Church

2241 N. Eastern Ave.

Los Angeles

 

 

WPRA board member John van de Kamp addressing the Pasadena City Council and urging passage of the SR-710 Alternatives Working Group's recommendations