Readers React: Don’t plop affordable housing near the 710 and 210 offramps

To the editor: I read with great interest architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne’s piece on alternate uses for the Caltrans properties along the 710 Freeway corridor. The idea of converting the Caltrans-owned vacant acreage at the north and south ends of the corridor into spaces that benefit the public is an exciting one. (“Here are better ideas for the land Caltrans has stockpiled for the 710 Freeway extension,” Dec. 4)

Many of Hawthorne’s ideas are great, but I was dismayed to read his suggestion that where the freeways end and dump a constant flow of traffic onto surface streets could also accommodate apartment buildings.

Of course we need to find space for much-needed affordable housing, but I can’t imagine that what anybody wants or needs is to live alongside massive freeway offramps, especially since we know about what exposure to poor air quality does to people. It is an old, tired idea to put affordable housing in such undesirable areas.

Better to stick with innovative green-space designs to help mitigate toxic auto emissions for residents of the homes already unfortunately situated nearby.

Marybeth DeHainaut, South Pasadena

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