Pasadena’s Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group Reviews Important First Steps Underway

Pasadena’s Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group meets Wednesday, June 21 to review several critical topics regarding the redevelopment of the 710 freeway stub in West Pasadena.

The group provides guidance and advice to the City Council regarding the redevelopment of the nearly 50-acre site.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the group will discuss the request for proposal (RFP) for the 710 historical report, the revisioning plan for the former 710 right-of-way area, recruitment for the senior project manager, the Caltrans-owned homes, the timeline, and next steps.

For over 50 years, the state planned a freeway through the heart of Pasadena, extending the 710 to connect the 110, 134, and 210 freeways.

The 710 Historic Report will provide robust information about the displacement of thousands of residents and businesses due to the construction of the SR 710 North in the early 1970s.

Consultants have been asked to propose a “Not to Exceed” maximum dollar amount for the project scope and will be scored on each task separately.

There is also a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit approaches from qualified firms to assist in the development of the new Master Plan/Specific Plan for the SR 710 Northern Stub.

In 1964, the State of California took possession of a half-mile swath of land and seized hundreds of homes in southwestern Pasadena, the city of South Pasadena, and the Los Angeles neighborhood of El Sereno through eminent domain in what ultimately became a failed effort to connect the Long Beach 710 and Foothill 210 freeways.

In June 2022, Caltrans voted unanimously to approve the relinquishment of the 710 stub back to Pasadena, which marked a historic moment in the City’s long-sought goal of re-envisioning and rebuilding what was once an integral and vibrant part of Pasadena.

The City also received a one-time payment of $5 million as part of the vote.

The vote came after decades of uncertainty regarding the future of the 710 northern extension.

The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 100 North Garfield Avenue in Pasadena.