Alhambra's Stub to be Born Again?

View of the 710-N "stub" heading north to Valley Blvd (Image courtesy of Google Maps)

Concept Drawing - 710 "Stub" in the City of Pasadena (Source: Moule and Polyzoides)

The City of Alhambra will consider a major mobility and land-use item at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday March 11, 2019 (5:30pm).

Agenda Item #2: State Route 710 Corridor focuses on the potential transformation of the 710 "stub" between I-10 and Valley Blvd. In November 2018 the Metro Board of Directors approved a $100 million allocation of Measure R funds to the City of Alhambra to support the transformation of this very large piece of land that was originally envisioned to become a surface highway through the communities of El Sereno, Alhambra, South Pasadena, and Pasadena. In 2017 the Metro Board of Directors tabled that idea, and directed staff to allocate the approximately $1 billion in Measure R sales tax funding set-aside for the 710 corridor to be used for "Transportation Demand Management and Transportation Systems Management" projects, setting off a local mobility project "wish list" process that we covered here. 

The shape and form of a transformed stub in Alhambra is still very much up in the air. Potential uses include a regional park, affordable housing, student housing, a transit center for CSULA, or a combination thereof. Any of these options might also include highway access to/from Valley Boulevard, or even a new, more direct connection to Cal State LA. However all of these ideas remain very much ideas at this point in time.

The concept of transforming a stub is not singular to the City of Alhambra. On the other side of the long debated project corridor, residents of the City of Pasadena hosted a series of community design meetings in 2014 to revision uses for their "ditch". At that time it was assumed no public dollars would be available to remediate the site, so most concepts called for a mix of housing, commercial space, green space, and multi-modal boulevards to stitch the neighborhood back together via private funding, while still allowing traffic to enter and exit the I-134 and I-210 freeways. The "Connecting Pasadena Project" community planning process received some coverage by San Gabriel Valley Tribune editor Larry Wilson. In Alhambra's case, $100 million in Measure R Sales Tax funding for the 710 has already been allocated to the project, making it far more feasible for public/civic uses such a proposed regional park or transit center to be included in a potential redesign. ​

ActiveSGV has not taken a formal stance on reuse of the Alhambra 710-stub. However given the size, scale, and impact of the project, and Metro's initial $100 million set-aside for it, we encourage that any formal action be informed by robust public engagement and participation, as well as greater analysis of the many options. 

If you would like to weigh in on this issue, you can do so by providing public comment in person at the meeting (details below), or by emailing the Council via the City Clerk: lmyles@cityofalhambra.org

• What: Alhambra City Council Meeting | State Route 710 Corridor - Agenda Item 2
• Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers, 111 South First Street, Alhambra
• When: Monday 3/11/19 (5:30pm)
• Meeting Agenda: State Route 710 Corridor - Agenda Item 2
• Agenda Item #2 - See below

Agenda Item 2. STATE ROUTE 710 CORRIDOR – F2M19-32
On May 25, 2017, the Metro Board voted not to move forward with the State Route 710 tunnel option between Interstate 10 and Interstate 210. In January 2019, Senator Portantino introduced legislation (SB7) that prohibits a surface freeway or tunnel between Interstate 10 and Interstate 210, and Assemblymember Holden has introduced legislation (AB29) removing the area from Interstate 10 to Interstate 210 from the State expressway system. Both bills leave unanswered questions on what would happen to the area between Interstate 10 and Valley Boulevard, the “stub”. Therefore, staff is requesting direction from the City Council on the City’s preferred use of the State Route 710 stub from Interstate 10 to Valley Boulevard if it is removed from the State Highway System per legislation, i.e. leave the de facto freeway, or explore housing and/or green space options, etc. Staff is also requesting that the City Council create a two-person subcommittee to work with staff and both Senator Portantino and Assemblymember Holden on the proposed legislation as it evolves, and periodically report back to the entire City Council.

Recommended Action: City Council take the following actions: 

1. Provide direction on the two pending pieces of legislation regarding removal of the State Highway Route 710 north of Interstate 10 from the State Highway System. Specifically, a) whether the existing stub to Valley Boulevard should remain; b) if not, what jurisdiction the 710 right-of-way north of the 10 should be transferred to if it is removed; and c) what purpose the former right-of-way should serve if it is returned to the City.
2.  Create a two-person subcommittee to address the 710 Project as it evolves and periodically report back to the entire City Council on the status; and,
3. Direct staff to undertake the steps necessary to finalize Council’s action.

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The "stub" from above (Image: Google Maps)