Proposed Tunnel, 710 Extension

Reading “Should a Tunnel Be Built Through Cleveland Forest?” (Oct. 5) convinced me that it is time to put a moratorium on new freeway construction in Southern California. More highways only encourage the construction of more homes in distant areas, which leads to greater traffic problems.

There is an abundance of affordable housing in Orange and Los Angeles counties, but many people move out of these areas to escape rising crime rates and declining school conditions. How much better off we would all be if we spent just a fraction of the proposed $1.3 billion for the tunnel on improving the safety and quality of our neighborhoods and schools.

ALAN COLES

Long Beach

Re “South Pasadena Vows to Continue Long Battle Against Freeway,” Oct. 2: As a former reporter, I know that when covering an ongoing story it is common to repeat elements from past stories. Unfortunately, these may include inaccurate stereotypes. Case in point: The Times’ coverage of South Pasadena’s fight against the 710 Freeway extension and the constant reference to the community as “affluent.” Fifty-one percent of the city’s residents live in multifamily units, 49% in single family homes.

Also from the Oct. 2 story: “South Pasadena is alone among those cities in opposing the extension.” Technically correct, but misleading because many, many residents of Pasadena and El Sereno are in opposition. In fact, residents of El Sereno also have filed a lawsuit against it.

DOROTHY M. COHEN

South Pasadena City Council

The articles about the extension of the 710 Freeway through South Pasadena, and other cities, remind me of the original installation of the Ventura Freeway (101) through Toluca Lake, the most exclusive residential community in that part of the city.

The sense of everyone who knew about Toluca Lake was that they couldn’t, wouldn’t, do that. But they did. If that can be done, there is no reason for the 710 extension not to go.

JOHN W. LOGAN

Hollywood