Media

Files related to 710

Articles on our council members

Articles about 710 & Alhambra

Other 

710 day

Aftermath

The 4.5-mile 710 Freeway extension was killed three times.

It was killed first in 2017 when LA Metro’s board voted 12-0 to not build it because the cost of about $5 billion to $7 billion was too high and the plan did not meet community needs.

The second time, the relentless opposition from South Pasadena’s Freeway Fighters ended the proposed 6.3-mile all-underground tunnel freeway four years ago, on Nov. 28, 2018, when Caltrans ended the freeway extension.

In 2003, the all-surface route that would have required demolition of 976 houses was defeated when the Federal Highway Administration withdrew its support.

The third time, bills that became law in 2019 said no extension of the freeway could ever be built. However, the bills left the nomenclature in the SHC.

When State Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-Burbank, authored SB7, to end any building of a freeway extension, he put in language that said the small portion, or stub, built to connect to the 210/134 in Pasadena would remain as “Route 710” for about the next 13 months.

This allowed for Caltrans to transfer the property — all 50 acres — to the city of Pasadena. “They wanted time to officially end the freeway,” said Portantino on Monday, Nov. 21, referring to Caltrans. Pasadena obtained the land in June 2022 when the California Transportation Commission voted to return the 50 acres back to the city of Pasadena, which is preparing a master plan for the land.

Portantino said the lingering designation is a nomenclature or semantics issue. It does not change the project status.

Advertisement