El Sereno and 710 Freeway Gap
* Terry Cooper makes an eloquent and forceful argument why the 710 Freeway should not be extended through the city of South Pasadena (Commentary, Nov. 22). South Pasadena has been the focus of the freeway fight since 1949. I agree with many of his observations; however, other aspects surrounding this issue deserve discussion, particularly the effect on the community of El Sereno.
In many respects El Sereno is the most severely impacted community along the proposed route. According to the final environmental impact report, we stand to lose 675 homes. South Pasadena will lose 599 homes and Pasadena 155. Unlike South Pasadena, El Sereno will have to contend with an above-grade freeway that is noisy and significantly alters our visual aesthetics. In South Pasadena and Pasadena the freeway is depressed--out of sight. Could Caltrans be practicing environmental racism here?
It is true that places like South Pasadena are increasingly rare. Well, places like El Sereno are also becoming rare. Latino residents on the Eastside have historically been subjected to the painful decimation of our communities in the name of improved transportation. El Sereno is a stable Latino community composed primarily of working-class, multi-generational families. Many have lived in the same homes for generations. This is the neighborhood of our choice. Because of a lack of affordable housing we would be forced to move outside of our community in search of replacement housing. This is unacceptable.
We are against the extension of the freeway and its resulting devastation. But we are in favor of improving the existing transportation system with more modern, logical solutions to the traffic congestion in the corridor. The “mutli-mode low-build alternative” offers an achievable approach in a few years to our transportation problems in this area, one which is based on the principle of getting commuters out of their single-occupant vehicles and into efficient public transportation systems.
El Sereno supports the efforts of well-intentioned individuals such as Cooper; however, the fate of thousands of El Sereno residents must not go unmentioned. Our community, El Sereno, will face destruction just as South Pasadena and southwest Pasadena. We’re in this struggle together.
HUGO GARCIA
El Sereno
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