Effort to price 710 Freeway tunnel stalls again

A proposal to put a price tag on the controversial Long Beach (710) underground tunnel extension to the Foothill (210) Freeway stalled yet again today at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority meeting.

The proposal from Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian, who also serves on the MTA Board of Directors, has been floundering since he brought it up in October as a way to get a cost estimate on the table before committing millions in Measure R tax money to the tunnel project.

Opponents of the tunnel have argued officials are reluctant to identify a true construction cost because it might invite even more opposition to what is expected to be a multi-billion-dollar project. Glendale, La Canada Flintridge and other local communities oppose the project on environmental and cost-related grounds.

On Thursday, the MTA voted to hold off on Najarian’s proposal until February after board member John Fasana, a Duarte city councilman, sought to broaden the policy to other major Measure R-funded projects.

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