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    News

    More 710 Fwy. Fallout: LB Area County Supervisor/MTA Boardmember Don Knabe Says He'll Back Supervisor Molina's Motion To Ditch Parts Of 710 Alternatives That Would Take Home & Biz Parcels, Seeks Hybrid That Doesn't Eat Houses


    (May 16, 2003) -- L.A. County Supervisor and MTA Boardmember Don Knabe will support a motion by fellow Supervisor/Boardmember Gloria Molina (details below, reported in detail on May 15 by LBReport.com) that would remove from 710 freeway expansion consideration parts of plans that would result in the loss of residential and business parcels.

    LBReport.com was so informed in response to our inquiry to LB Field Deputy to the Supervisor, Matt Knabe. Field Deputy Knabe said Supervisor Knabe will support Molina's motion when it comes to the full MTA Board.

    "The Supervisor believes we need to look at all alternatives without taking homes," Matt Knabe told us.

    L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who serves on the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Board of Directors, successfully moved in an MTA Committee "that [MTA] staff urge the TAC and OPC to remove from consideration the design elements of Alternatives C, D, and E that result in the acquisition of business and residential parcels."

    The motion also directs that "MTA staff express their preference for Alternative B, the TSM/TDM alternative, to the I-710 Corridor Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Oversight Policy Committee (OPC) and work with the various entities to develop a hybrid alternative using elements from Alternatives C, D, and E that results in meaningful improvements to the corridor without impacting residences and businesses. " [Alternative B proposes technology and traffic planning or incentive improvements which can be implemented within the existing path of the freeway.]

    The motion says MTA staff "should continue working with the TAC, OPC, and Gateway Cities COG to identify improvements to the I-710 freeway that do not rely solely on cost and that explore non-standard design methods."

    The full motion text follows:

    WHEREAS, the Interstate 710 (I-710) Corridor is the principal transportation connection between the County of Los Angeles and the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,

    WHEREAS, currently trucks account for 45 to 60 percent of freeway capacity, and this traffic is expected to grow substantially due to the extension of the ports, interstate freight movement, weekday commute traffic, and weekend recreational traffic.

    WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the California Department of Transportation, the Southern California Association of Governments, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments have undertaken the I-710 Major Corridor Study to seek ways to improve travel conditions along the I-710 Corridor and adjacent surface streets from the State Route 60 to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

    WHEREAS, three of the five alternatives identified in the Major Corridor Study require substantial business and residential property acquisition.

    WHEREAS, the majority of the potential I-710 expansion would occur in dense urban areas with heavy minority and low-income populations, such as the unincorporated area of East Los Angeles and the City of Commerce that have already experienced significant impacts and residential displacements due to previous freeway projects.

    WHEREAS, residential relocation is a very sensitive issue in these neighborhoods and the need for housing is critical.

    WHEREAS, through the outreach efforts to this point there has been almost unanimous public opposition to alternatives that require residential and business acquisitions and relocations,

    WHEREAS, the cities of Long Beach, Bell Gardens, Commerce, and Carson have already indicated that they cannot support any of the current build alternatives as proposed,

    I, therefore, move that the MTA staff express their preference for Alternative B, the TSM/TDM alternative, to the I-710 Corridor Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Oversight Policy Committee (OPC) and work with the various entities to develop a hybrid alternative using elements from Alternatives C, D, and E that results in meaningful improvements to the corridor without impacting residences and businesses.

    Furthermore, I move that staff urge the TAC and OPC to remove from consideration the design elements of Alternatives C, D, and E that result in the acquisition of business and residential parcels.

    Additionally, Staff should continue working with the TAC, OPC, and Gateway Cities COG to identify improvements to the I-710 freeway that do not rely solely on cost and that explore non-standard design methods.

    As first reported by LBReport.com, on April 29 LB Mayor Beverly O'Neill and Acting City Manager Gerald Miller issued an unusual joint memorandum urging that each "build" alternative for 710 freeway expansion be "immediately reconsidered to minimize potential negative consequences related to neighborhoods, residential areas, and open space..."

    As also first reported by LBReport.com, 7th district Councilwoman Reyes-Uranga issued a press release on May 1 calling LB's new policy, presented by City Hall staff at a TAC meeting, "one small first step in the right direction, but it is troubling that it took an outraged community to wake this City up and realize the serious impacts to our residents."

    In April, the Los Angeles Times first revealed the extent to which some 710 expansion options could potentially result in the loss of some homes and businesses. As word spread, consternation grew.

    NLB 710 meet April 16On April 16, as reported by LBReport.com, a crowd of roughly 100-120 people jammed a NLB community meeting in the Coolidge Park neighborhood to see the maps...including Alternative D which (if chosen) could eat a number of homes in their area.

    After LBReport.com editorially criticized the Gateway Cities Council of Governments for failing to put the maps on its web site, the agency did so. The digital maps can now be viewed at: Digital Maps Showing Impacts Of 710 Fwy. Expansion Options Posted By Gateway Cities Council Of Gov'ts; Click for Links, Details & Caveats.

    Attendance at public meetings continued to grow.

    An April 24 community meeting at WLB's Silverado Park drew a standing room only crowd of between 200-250 residents. WLB 710 meet April 24
    Photo: 7th dist. Council office

    WLB 710 meet April 24
    Photo 7th dist. Council office
    The WLB Association and 7th district Councilwoman Tonia Reyes-Uranga hosted the event to hear comments and concerns.

    A subsequent May 12 meeting at WLB's Silverado Park was reportedly filled beyond capacity. One observer emailed LBReport.com, "The line to get in snaked around almost two sides of the park."

    On May 20, LB's City Council has scheduled a study workshop on 710 expansion plans from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at City Hall. Although no action can be taken, the public is supposed to have some opportunity to be heard.


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