City decries tunnel bill

The imminent approval of a state Senate bill that promises to bring to fruition the construction of a tunnel linking the Long Beach (710) and Foothill (210) freeways was of utmost concern to the La Cañada Flintridge City Council during its meeting Monday night.

Senate Bill 1350, in a “gut and amend” process, had its original contents regarding equestrian safety in Bear Valley completely removed and changed to address a public/private partnership in the development, operation and maintenance of the Long Beach tunnel connecting the two freeways.

Much to the frustration of the LCF City Council, who opposes immediate construction, “gut and amend” is a truncated process that allows very little public input. Mayor Pro Tem Laura Olhasso traveled to a public hearing in Sacramento in order to represent La Cañada’s concerns, only to return in disappointment. The construction of the Long Beach tunnel has long been an issue of debate and approval of the bill will make it a reality.

According to Ann Wilson, city senior management analyst, the real issue is that the proper research hasn’t been done to qualify this as the “one and only best project toward alleviating the problem.”

Proponents of the project claim that the tunnel will improve exhaust emissions and decrease greenhouse gases, but no studies have been conducted to prove the benefits.

“It’s simply too premature for a public private partnership or for any financial mechanism for the proposed tunnel to be considered,” said Wilson. “There are other solutions that might be better for the region. Study the problem and find the optimal solution.”

The USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy agrees. In a report on the financial planning charrette for the project held in December last year, USC writes “Although there is solid financial and engineering data available, the environmental aspects of the project remain to be examined.”

Worse yet is that these environmental effects will be directly felt by La Cañada residents. Due to an expected increase in port traffic, there is consequently an expected increase in noise pollution, air pollution and traffic congestion in the La Cañada area.

Furthermore, this is a multi-billion dollar project currently estimated at approximately $6 billion. Even with the involvement of a private company, the size of the public subsidy will undoubtedly be significant.

“There won’t be enough money for other projects that could be more beneficial to the public, such as the extension of the Gold Line,” said Mayor Steve Del Guercio. “This project is a giant black hole sucking in money that could be better distributed elsewhere.”