L.A. Metro Board Removes Support for Controversial 710 Freeway Tunnel Plan

"In a historic vote, the governing board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority unanimously rejected an extension of the 710 Freeway Thursday, saying building a multi-billion dollar tunnel would not feasible," reports Steve Scauzillo.

Though Metro has withdrawn its support for the project, it's still on the table at Caltrans, the state's transportation authority. "Caltrans is expected to vote on the car-tunnel project in 2018, after it completes a final Environmental Impact Report released in March 2015," according to Scauzillo.

The Metro board has other ideas for handling some of the vehicle traffic in the 710 gap, "proposing a myriad of street level fixes. First, it will spent $105 million of approximately $730 million available from Measure R for initial improvements to local streets by adding capacity, new bus lines, traffic signal synchronization and bike lanes." Meanwhile "cities such as Pasadena can now work on bettering the look of the so-called 710 Stub between Del Mar Boulevard and Walnut streets."