The 710 FreewayThreatens Pasadena

Presented To The Pasadena City CouncilAugust 13, 2012

08/13/2012Item 1

Submitted by John Shaffer

Five 710 Alternatives Threaten Pasadena

Freeways And Neighborhoods Do Not Mix

Freeways And Highways

• Create Pollution, Noise, Public Health, And Traffic Problems

• Physically Divide Neighborhoods

• Reduce Property Values And Tax Base

• Threaten Historic And Cultural Resources

• Cost Billions Of Dollars To Build

• Are 20th Century “Fixes” To 21st Century Transportation Needs

Remember What Happened The Last Time A “Gap” In The

Freeway System Was Closed

710 Would Funnel More Trucks And Traffic Through Pasadena

Even More 710 Traffic And Trucks May Be Coming

• Metro Has Released Draft EIR For “710 South” From Long Beach To SR 60.

• Up To 12 Lanes Pointed Directly Toward Pasadena.

• No Freight-By-Rail Alternative Has Been Considered.

• EIR Comments Due September 28, 2012.

Metro Has Failed To Adequately Consider Green Alternatives

• Metro Gold Line Improvements (Grade Separations, Express Train Passing Tracks, Extension To Claremont And Ontario Airport).

• Rail Improvements For Goods (Use 710 Funds To Complete Alameda Corridor And Move Freight By Train).

• Other Low-Build Alternatives (i.e., congestion pricing).

Metro Has Not Considered Gold Line Improvements

Metro Has Not Considered Rail Improvements

Pasadena’s Green Principleshttp://www.pasadenacal.com/pasadena-goes-green.html

• PASADENA THINKS GREEN• The City of Pasadena is famous for many things, including

its leadership in environmental advocacy, compliance, and protection. As one of America’s most progressive cities, Pasadena has woven sustainability into every aspect of municipal management.

• Pasadena is one of the few cities in the nation to draft and implement a Green City Action Plan.

• The city’s Green Building Ordinance requires LEED Silver ranking for major development and municipal buildings.

• After a three-year renovation, City Hall reopened in 2007 with LEED Gold Certification.

Pasadena’s Green Principles• The city has acquired a fleet of 50 “clean” vehicles,

promotes an Area Rapid Transit System for commuters, and has created 60 miles of bike lanes and parking for 1,000 bikes citywide.

• Pasadena recycles more than 85 percent of its green waste and diverts more than 500,000 containers yearly from Rose Bowl events.

• In March 2008, Popular Science recognized Pasadena as “one of the 50 greenest cities in the nation.”

• The city is a member of Green Cities California, a group dedicated to accelerating local, regional, national, and international efforts to achieve sustainability.

• For its efforts in sustainability, Pasadena was selected as one of 12 cities to be honored for “Best Practices in Municipal Government” at the September 2008 conference of the International Association of City Managers.

Our Requests To The City• Approve Staff Recommendation To Oppose

Alternatives H-2 (Avenue 64 Highway), F-5 (San Rafael Area Freeway), and H-6 (Pasadena/St. Johns Highway).

• Request That Metro Consider More 710 Transit/Rail Alternatives For Passengers And Freight.

• Request That City Staff Investigate 710 South EIR, So That City May Comment Before September 28 Deadline.

• Request That City Staff Investigate Public Health, Environmental, Traffic, Historical, And Other Impacts Of ALL 710 Freeway/Highway Alternatives.

• Request That City Staff Continue To Explore How The City May Oppose ALL Unnecessarily Destructive 710 Freeway/Highway Alternatives.