A never-built freeway that displaced hundreds of residents in the 1970s has left a 50-acre scar that may finally see redevelopment.
The Pasadena, California city council approved most of the Reconnecting Pasadena plan, a proposal to redevelop a 50-acre swath of land that was slated for an extension of the 710 freeway.
As Chris Greenspon explains in Streetsblog LA, the land was seized by Caltrans in the early 1970s, but has laid vacant ever since. After displacing hundreds of residents, Caltrans officially killed the freeway project in 2017.
The council approved portions of the plan including a California Environmental Quality Act exemption, the use of the plan by the city's planning department, sustainability components, a housing goal of 1,800 units, and multimodal transportation initiatives.
However, the council tabled a discussion about the plan's Restorative Justice elements, which propose programs for building wealth and paying back displaced residents. "Likely, the city wants to explore funding mechanisms and set expectations through public debate before committing to any language in the plan."
FULL STORY: Pasadena Adopts Most of the 710 Stub Vision Plan
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