Lobbyists Retained for Long Beach Freeway Project

The City Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the completion of the Long Beach Freeway extension by renewing its contract with a Washington lobbying firm that helped persuade federal transportation officials to support the project.

Council members have agreed to pay the Ferguson Co. $36,000 and $5,000 in expenses for work until September 1998.

“We’ll continue to lobby on the 710 extension until the project breaks ground,” said City Manager Julio Fuentes. Alhambra officials say streets there are packed with traffic because of the lack of an extension connecting the Foothill and San Bernardino freeways.

Last week, the Federal Highway Administration issued preliminary approval of the extension that would cut through South Pasadena and parts of El Sereno and Pasadena.