Funding Request Part of Transportation Reauthorization Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) has submitted a request to the House Transportation Committee to fund a study to evaluate a tunnel alternative to close the 710 Freeway gap in Southern California.
"I believe that the tunnel concept should be thoroughly examined," Rep. Adam Schiff said, after consulting with community leaders who have historically both supported and opposed completion of the 710 Freeway. "For over thirty years the communities in my district have struggled to find a way to improve traffic flow in the 710 corridor without destroying the quality of life in communities along its proposed path. If the tunnel concept is economically, environmentally, and technically sound, we may find that the elusive common ground is underground."
The 710 Freeway gap, between Valley Blvd. in the south to the 210-134 Interchange in the north, is approximately 4.5 miles long and has been the source of bitter debate for decades. Support for completion of the freeway has been strong in neighborhoods where commuters exit the freeway and take surface streets, adding to the pollution and congestion of the area. Opposition has been equally passionate since closing the freeway by conventional means - a surface freeway or a "cut-and-cover" method - would result in the loss of hundreds of historic homes and disrupt the communities along the proposed route.
Recently, another option has emerged as a potentially viable solution to traffic congestion in this region. Tunneling technology has advanced to the point that it may be technologically feasible, and can be done at a cost comparable to conventional construction technologies. Such a proposal has the advantage of preserving the vast majority of historic homes and minimally disrupting existing neighborhoods, but technological feasibility, seismic compatibility, and environmental impacts of this option must be established before this proposal can be considered a viable alternative. To fund this study, Rep. Schiff requested $3 million for a tunnel development support study and $5 million for an Environmental Impact Statement.
"I don’t want to prejudge the outcome of the study," Schiff added. "The tunnel concept may prove a serious and viable option to improve traffic flow around the region and earn strong community consensus - or it may turn out to be economically prohibitive or environmentally unsound. But there is enough interest in the community and a willingness by both sides of this protracted dispute to explore this alternative, that we should fully examine whether this may provide the solution we have been looking for."
Rep. Schiff represents California’s 29th Congressional District, including the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.