South Pasadena drops long-standing opposition to 710 project

We got word late yesterday that South Pasadena was holding a meeting to discuss the 710 tunnel project that has suddenly gained a lot of momentum in the last few months. After 40 years of opposing an above ground option, and about a month of opposing the current tunnel project (which is still in its infant planning stages) the city flip-flopped and agreed to support it last night in a special meeting of the city council.

From what we've been hearing here, State Sen. Gil Cedillo, who is a big advocate of the project, has been in discussions with the city to include language that would give some sort of protections to South Pasadena. I don't know the details yet, but will be working on the story today.

No route has yet been established for the project, nor has there been any determination where 100-foot ventilation towers that would be required for the tunnel would be placed. The language promised by Cedillo may well mean they don't end up in South Pas.

UPDATE: Councilman Richard Schneider, who voted against supporting the bill, said he thought the council members who voted for it are trying to get something out of bill they know will pass. He says the city is still very much opposed to the tunnel.

Additionally, some of the details of the deal are coming out: the bill would contain new amendments that would either advise against or completely prohibit an above-ground option as a fallback if the tunnel project does not go through. Schneider says he believes it is not a complete prohibition of that option, which is one reason he voted against it. There is also language pertaining to the sale of homes along the proposed above-ground route, which are owned by Caltrans. The city wants them back in the hands of the general public so they can be better property-tax generators.

Schneider also is unhappy because he believes, correctly I think, that this will be interpreted as South Pasadena giving the green light to this project. That is, of course, the motivation for Sen. Cedillo to get them on board.... if you need any prove, look at the title of this blog post. That is the headline Cedillo wants to see.