South Pasadena, CA Home Go I WANT TO... RESIDENTS BUSINESSES VISITORS GOVERNMENT Transportation - State Route 710 Freeway & Transportation Commission Cycling in South Pasadena + Maximizing Mobility Government » Departments » Management Services » Transportation STATE ROUTE 710 Print Feedback Share & Bookmark Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option Font Size: + - State Route 710 (SR-710) SR-710 History: Surface Route Extension 1959 - State of California adopted its Master Plan of Freeways and Expressways. The plan included an extension of Route 7 (now known as the SR-710 and the I-710) from its original Long Beach to Huntington Drive destination, northward to the Foothill Freeway. 1960 - Cities of Alhambra, Los Angeles, Pasadena, and South Pasadena were notified by the state of alternatives being studied to determine the exact path of the planned freeway. 1964 - California Highway Commission officially adopted the "Meridian Route" as the freeway alignment. Within a month, the City requested reconsideration of the adopted route. 1965 - Segment of the Long Beach SR-7 Freeway between Route 10 (now I-10) and Valley Boulevard was opened. Since that time, the extension of the freeway segment between Valley Boulevard in Los Angeles and Del Mar Boulevard in Pasadena has been the subject of numerous administrative proceedings, court actions, and legislative initiatives. 1973 - After the passage of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City sought and was granted an injunction prohibiting Caltrans from constructing the extension project until an environmental impact report (EIR) was properly completed. Caltrans submitted an EIR four times between 1973 and 1992 and was rejected by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) each time. The injunction was not lifted until 1998, when FHWA accepted a supplemental EIR and issued the Record of Decision (ROD) – the agreement that committed the federal government to fund a large portion of the project. At that point the City o filed a federal lawsuit citing failure to protect clean air, the environment and historic properties. 1999 - United States District Court Judge Pregerson issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the defendant, Caltrans, et al., from proceeding with the 710 Freeway Project. Judge Pregerson’s lengthy opinion identified numerous, substantial violations of federal law that would have to be remedied prior to completing the project, including violations of the Clean Air Act, Environmental Protection Act, and Historic Preservation Act. No attempt has been made by the defendants to satisfy the violations found by Judge Pregerson. 2003 - FHWA rescinded their ROD 2004 - California Transportation Commission withdrew its Notice of Determination (NOD). Tunnel Alternative 2002 - Caltrans decided to move forward with a tunnel alternative to the surface extension. 2003 - The South Pasadena City Council voted not to oppose "sound research” of a tunnel alternative. However, this was not to be misconstrued as support for the tunnel. The ultimate position of the South Pasadena City Council was dependent on the integrity of the research. 2004 - MTA selected a team of consultants, led by the engineering firm Parsons, Brinkerhoff, Quade & Douglas (PB) to conduct a feasibility study for the tunnel. The narrow scope of the study focused on connecting the freeway stubs in Alhambra and Pasadena, and failed to analyze the needs of the surrounding region. 2006 - MTA’s Route 710 Tunnel Technical Feasibility Assessment Report (the "MTA Study") was issued. 2008 - Measure R was passed to provide a half-cent sales tax increase for 30 years to pay for transportation projects; a follow-up expenditure plan was adopted later that year that included the “Interstate North 710 Gap Closure (tunnel)” Current Environmental Review 2010 - Metro’s Board decided to move forward with the environmental review of the SR-710. 2011 - Metro awarded the EIR contract to CH2M Hill and the public outreach contract to Consensus, Inc. 2012 - Metro’s State Route 710 Study: Alternatives Analysis Report was released, and included a recommendation for the following alternatives to be evaluated further: No build Transportation System Management/Transportation Demand Management (TSM/TDM) Bus Rapid Transit Light Rail Transit Freeway Tunnel 2014 - Metro postponed the release of the EIR until February 2015. 2015 - Metro released the draft EIR in early 2015. Following the release there was a 90-day public comment period and two public hearings will be scheduled. The City of South Pasadena along with the cities of Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the National Resources Defense Council came together to form the Connected Cities and Communities (C3). The C3 developed a mobility initiative to begin a new conversation regarding mobility and sustainability. On May 28, 2015, the C3 released the Beyond the 710, a plan that incorporates strategies to address mobility, economic development, environmental projection, public health, and sustainable land uses. For more information please visit: www.beyondthe710.org 2016 - The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments voted and approved the removal of the SR-710 North Project from their Mobility Matrix and ultimately the list of projects under consideration for new sales tax measure, Measure M. 2017 - Los Angeles County voters approved Measure M with a provision that specifically states "No Net Revenues generated from the Sales Tax shall be expended on the State Route 710 North Gap Closure Project". Metro's Ad Hoc Highway, Congestion, and Road Committee approved a motion to recommend the TSM/TDM Alternative to Caltrans and develop a process to reallocate the remaining Measure R funds to projects in the corridor. On Thursday, May 22nd the Metro Board will vote on the motion to recommend the TSM/TDM Alternative to Caltrans and develop a process to reallocate the remaining Measure R funds to projects in the corridor. Caltrans SR-710 Surplus Properties Sales The Caltrans Affordable Sales Program is currently underway and is administered by the Department of Transportation, District 7 Right of Way Office. Caltrans has made a number of surplus properties along the SR-710 Corridor available for purchase. The below link provides access to the Caltrans website with more information regarding eligible properties, sale timeframe, and purchase process and prioritities. If you have any questions about the Caltrans Affordable Sales Program please refer to the link below or call (213) 897-8184. http://www.dot.ca.gov/d7/business/710sales/ State Route 710 North Project Anthology of Comments Have you ever wanted to know about the comments for the SR-710 project from the City and other agencies? Click Here to learn more about comments, alternatives and plans moving forward. SR-710 Comment Letters The City of South Pasadena has submitted its comment letter for the SR-710 North Draft EIR/EIS. Below is the comment letter: City of South Pasadena SR-710 Draft EIR/EIS Comment Letter Additionally, the City is a member of multiple groups that have submitted separate comment letters which can be found at: http://www.beyondthe710.org/sr_710_draft_eir_s_comment_letters Metro has released the Cost Benefit Analysis for the SR-710 Study Alternatives On June 19, 2015, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) released the Analysis of Costs and Benefits for the State Route 710 North Study Alternatives. To view the Cost Benefit Analysis click either link below: http://www.metro.net/projects/sr-710-conversations/ http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/resources/envdocs/docs/710study/draft_eir-eis/ Special City Council Meeting South Pasadena SR-710 Community Workshop Below is the webcast of the Special City Council Meeting - South Pasadena SR-710 Community Workshop held on May 13, 2015. Webcast of the SR-710 Community Workshop Below is the agenda of the meeting and the presentations from the Special City Council Meeting - South Pasadena SR-710 Community Workshop held on May 13, 2015. CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA SR-710 COMMUNITY WORKSHOP AGENDA The presentations are below in the order they were presented on May 13, 2015. Welcome and Introduction - Robert S. Joe, Mayor State Route 710 (SR-710) History - Antonio Rossmann, Special Counsel SR-710 Draft Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) Alternatives - Margaret Lin, Principal Management Analyst Potential Tunnel Boring Risks - Avram D. Gold, West Pasadena Residents’ Association - SR-710 Working Group Draft EIR/EIS Key Findings and Multimodal Vision - Jeffrey Tumlin, Nelson Nygaard Consulting City’s Collaborative Approach - Marina Khubesrian, M.D., Councilmember Public Comment and Hearing Procedures - Delaine Shane, Environmental Planning Professional Public Comment and Council Discussion - Robert S. Joe, Mayor SR-710 North Draft EIR/EIS March 6,2015, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) released the State Route 710 (SR-710) North Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS). This is the link for the SR-710 North Study Draft EIR/EIS www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/resources/envdocs/docs/710study/draft_eir-eis/. The 120-day public comment period for the SR-710 North Study Draft EIR/EIS ended on July 6, 2015 . Comments can be submitted electronically www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/resources/envdocs/docs/710study/draft_eir-eis/ or by mail to: Garrett Damrath, Caltrans District 7, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main St., MS-16, Los Angeles, CA 90012 For a list of locations where a physical copy of the SR-710 North Draft EIR/EIS can be view and for more information about the SR-710 North Study please visit: http://www.metro.net/projects/sr-710-conversations/ For more information, please contact Margaret Lin, Principal Management Analyst (mlin@southpasadenaca.gov or 626-403-7236). Past Metro Meetings SR 710 Alternatives Analysis Report SR 710 Sales Properties (Affordable Sale Program) Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents. They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. STAY CONNECTED 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030 | P:(626) 403-7200 | Contact Us