Metro to host I-710 South Corridor listening sessions on Wednesday, Dec. 8, and Thursday, Dec. 9

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Metro will hold the first listening sessions for the newly formed I-710 South Corridor Task Force (710 Task Force) on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and Thursday, December 9, 2021, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am.

These sessions are designed to present information on the purpose and work of the 710 Task Force and, most importantly, gain input from community members on how the work of the Task Force can best reflect their needs, goals and priorities.   

Additionally, Metro will hold its third meeting of the 710 Task Force on Monday, December 13, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please note that this meeting is virtual only due to the ongoing pandemic.

Recordings and meeting materials for the 710 Task Force can be found on our webpage at https://www.metro.net/projects/i-710-corridor/, under “Documents.”  Please follow this webpage for more information on the 710 Task Force.

Some quick background for those new to task force:

The I-710 Corridor Project was originally conceived as a way to improve traffic safety, modernize the freeway design and accommodate growth in traffic and goods movement — particularly from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. This section of freeway was built in the 1950s and ‘60s and stretches 19 miles from the ports through 16 cities and communities to East Los Angeles.

The project was halted in March 2021 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signaled that the project wouldn’t meet federal air quality conformity standards. In approving the project in 2018, the Metro Board prioritized local interchange and arterial road upgrades, new pedestrian and bike crossings and more funds for near-zero and zero emission trucks — while also holding off a decision on potentially widening the freeway that would displace residents and businesses in adjacent communities.

In response to the EPA’s decision and these displacement concerns, the Metro Board in May 2021 directed Metro to suspend work on the environmental process and re-engage community members and local stakeholders. The Task Force is expected to provide a multimodal Investment Plan for the I-710 South Corridor that incorporates community feedback and findings to the Metro Board of Directors and State of California in 2022. 

To participate in the meetings, please use the information below: 

Listening Session #1

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Visit https://bit.ly/30VX2pG

Meeting ID: 857 2219 2352

Passcode: 5851

English Call‐In: (213) 338‐8477

Llama da en español: (872) 240‐3212

Código de acceso: 290‐700‐629

Listening Session #2

Thursday, December 9, 2021

10:00 am to 11:30 am

Registration Link: https://bit.ly/32vsYBT

Webinar ID: 867 0914 1955

Passcode: 5851

English Call‐In: (213) 338‐8477

Llama da en español: (872) 240‐3311

Código de acceso: 580‐060‐381

710 Task Force – Meeting #3 (Open to the public) 

Monday, December 13, 2021  

5:00-7:30 pm 

Visit https://bit.ly/3xksjyu to register to attend. 

Meeting ID: 881 5503 3286 

Passcode: 5851 

English Call-in: (213) 338-8477 

Llamada en español: (571) 317-3112 

Código de acceso: 339-179-405 

During the second 710 Task Force meeting on November 8, 2021, the task force reviewed progress that Metro had made since the inaugural meeting held on September 13, 2021. This review included the results of three focus groups comprised of Community-based Organizations, school districts and faith-based communities within the corridor and designed to learn about their needs and concerns.

The key takeaways from these groups were their desire to have more transparency in the process, receive adequate resources such as translated materials and interpreters, and for Metro to increase their outreach with members of the community.

Reflecting the input received to date, Metro will continue to initiate effective outreach, awareness and coordination through the partnerships formed and ongoing small group and task force meetings.

Metro has also made a commitment to the public and to the Metro Board to provide greater transparency and public engagement by announcing our 710 Task Force meeting dates at least two weeks in advance to provide sufficient notice for the public.  We will also publish the agenda and other materials at least one week in advance of the meeting (by December 6, 2021) for review by the Task Force and public. 

Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects

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2 replies ›

  1. Stupidity is the winning factor in this long overdue improvement and upgrade to the 710. It’s nothing more than a freeway to nowhere which the MTA, Cal-Trans seem to be famous for. The revised plan when the 134/210 interchange was conceived and built was to incorporate the missing link with the 710 thereby relieving the communities of East Los Angeles, South Pasadena etc of the nightmare forced upon them where vast amount of commercial traffic threads thru their communities enroute to the 134/210 interchange. There is no viable alternative available except to ban commercial traffic thru these two communities.

    Currently we are faced with a horrific backlog at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in part due to the lack of trucks available. Transversing these communities via service streets only delays the return of the needed trucks to hour more merchandise. Widening the 710 Freeway South of its current north terminus will only funnel more trucks into this ridiculous bottleneck.

    Do the right thing, impact as few citizens as possible and complete the 710 to its obvious terminus and end the stupidity far to many citizens are subjected to.