The 710 gap

[sweetcityluvn]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I don't remember the statistics, and haven't read enough about this to really know what I'm talking about, but isn't port truck traffic coming from the port one of the biggest factors facing (and helping contribute to) LA traffic right now (especially on the east side of town)? If the state had a lot of money to throw at traffic problems I think they'd be able to do more long-term good by both finishing the subway-to-the-sea as well as coming up with a truly innovative solution to the truck issue. I think there have been some suggestions made, but don't know how things stand on that front. Completing the 710 extension might make things temporarily flow a little more smoothly, or shorten some people's rides, but the temporary relief would be very temporary, and I can't imagine it would be worth the cost, tunnel or no tunnel. Given the concerns of pollution, etc., especially in the LA basin, I'd like to see that kind of money being spent elsewhere and on more creative solutions (and hopefully more effective in the long run) than just more freeways.

The problem is that you need a band-aid to stop the bleeding, eventhough the band-aid can not fix the wound itself. It never will. If the bleeding is traffic congestion, freeways are the band-aid. The band-aid or freeway in this matter could last years though if properly applied. Thats the best analogy I can make...lol. Note, the wound never goes away. There will always be traffic problems. The idea of transportation planning is to minimize the bleeding or congestion.

[Sassberto]

Just remember... Robert Moses is not remembered fondly in New York. He brought us the housing project and freeways that bisected neighborhoods. What was progress and modern in the 50's is largely regarded as decaying and inadaquate in the present. In fact it is is the trains, built years prior, that have really stood the test of time. Times have changed and as was mentioned, people would never accept that kind of vision today. People don't want that kind of vision today.

[the one]

while the 710 is used alot by trucks transporting goods that come from the ports, it is also used by many many commuters.

the crazy thing about all of this is that the trucks pose a huge danger to motorists. the 710 has been named the worst freeway in terms of trailer accidents. the 710 to the 5N(into the ELA interchange) is crazy and dangerous.

in order to relieve this problem the city and the ports modernized the rails that lined alameda and built them below grade, in a trench of sorts. it is known as the alameda corridor. most port traffic was supposed to be moved through this corridor. millions and millions were spent on this project. it is not working at full capacity. i doubt it is even working at 50%.

the solutions are there to ease traffic (particularly trailer traffic), they are not always the preferred $olution$.

what really boilde my blood waswhen suggestions were made to create all trailer lanes on the 710. or create a seperate level (ala the bus lane on the 110) for trailers. we just spent millions of dollars to make it easier to get the goods from the ports to the hub of rail in commerce or el monte, now they want to waste more money ?

[katymurta]

I currently live in South Pas, about to move to Boyle Heights b/c I bought a home and I am here to say that I fully support blocking any kind of an extension that would divide and destroy South Pas. Yes, like many posters said on this thread, it would ruin the character and beauty of South Pasadena, all for one more freeway that will only temporary take care of LA's traffic problem. South Pasadena is one of the few communities left in LA that has kept and taken care of the old homes and flavor of its past. A freeway would slice and dice the city and ruin it. The tunnel idea seems possible....and yes, this might sound like a 'privileged white girl' talking but try living there like I did for the past 13 years. It's charming, beautiful and reminds me of my upbringing in New Hampshire. If I could have afforded to have bought a house there, I would have. But I couldn't, as it is very expensive. So, I'd hate to see it destroyed all because a bunch of commuters errroneously think the 710 extension will solve their traffic issues. It won't.

[drunk on kool aid]

In South Pasadena, the 710 extension is the third rail, ebola and a child molester all rolled into one. There was a ballot measure a few years ago about allowing an underground extension and I'm sure that failed as well. Major arguments against included the specter of exhaust chimneys spewing gas onto the streets of South Pas and the problem of handling accidents.

I don't know if this factoid is accurate but I recall during the Red Line tunneling that each mile cost a billion dollars and a subway is much narrower than even a small freeway.

Neighboring Alhambra has always favored the extension and there was a kerfuffle a few years ago when Alhambra's mayor tweaked north-south flow to divert more traffic into South Pasadena.

I've done the commute from Pasadena to the 710 on the surface streets and it is a major pain. During rush hour, Fair Oaks, Fremont and Los Robles are pretty heavily congested.

South Pasadena is beautiful and it would be a shame to have the 710 plopped on top of it but some method of connecting the 710 to the 210 would take a load of traffic off the surface streets and save a lot of time. It's truly a tangle of thorns.