South Pasadena Sued Over Freeway Plans

The battle over the proposed Long Beach Freeway extension just got a little nastier.

Alhambra, the extension’s biggest supporter, has filed a Superior Court lawsuit against South Pasadena, the freeway’s biggest opponent, because South Pasadena’s newly updated general plan assumes the freeway will never be built.

The general plan, which basically dictates what can and cannot be built, makes only brief mention of the 6.2-mile freeway that would slice through the heart of the city.

When South Pasadena recently updated its general plan for the first time in 35 years, it made no mention of the freeway. When Alhambra officials complained, South Pasadena officials added a section noting the freeway’s negative impacts.

Alhambra officials allege that the failure to note the extension’s benefits--removing cars from city streets--violates state law.

Meanwhile, today a federal judge is scheduled to tour the route of the $1.4-billion extension, which would cut through Pasadena, South Pasadena and the Eastside.

The judge is considering whether to grant South Pasadena a temporary restraining order to prevent work from going forward. South Pasadena has sued the U.S. Department of Transportation, alleging its approval of the project violates environmental laws.