BILL ANALYSIS
SB 545
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 19, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
SB 545 (Cedillo) - As Amended: June 30, 2009
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:10-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits the Interstate 710 (I-710) freeway gap
closure project from being constructed as a surface or
above-grade highway. Specifically, this bill.
1)Provides that gap closure project be a subsurface
transportation facility, specifically a tunnel with the
alignment to be determined by Caltrans after completion of
environmental studies.
2)Provides that cut and cover construction technology may be
used only at the entrance and exit portals, and the portals
are not to encroach upon the City of South Pasadena. Cut and
cover maybe also be used where needed for tunnel ventilation
structures, emergency exits, and any other required mitigation
measures.
3)Declares that I-710 between Valley Boulevard in the City of
Los Angeles and Del Mar Boulevard in the City of Pasadena will
not be a surface or above-grade highway.
FISCAL EFFECT
A bored tunnel is likely the most costly option for constructing
this project (compared to a cut and cover, surface or
above-grade project). To the extent this bill removes the
possibility of using a feasible and less expensive option, this
bill creates cost pressures potentially in the hundreds of
millions of dollars. (It should be noted, however, that
numerous other options have been explored and rejected over
several decades.)
SB 545
Page 2
[Measure R, a 30-year local transportation sales tax approved by
Los Angeles voters last November, dedicated $780 million for the
freeway gap closure tunnel project. Caltrans indicates that
preliminary estimates of project costs for constructing a tunnel
to close the I-710 gap are approximately $6 billion to $8
billion.]
COMMENTS
1)Background . I-710 is a major north-south interstate freeway
running 23 miles through Los Angeles County-from Long Beach to
Alhambra, stopping short of the originally planned terminus in
Pasadena. Construction of the 4.5-mile segment between
Alhambra and Pasadena, through South Pasadena, has been
delayed for decades due to community opposition. Over the past
40 years, alternative concepts have been proposed and
evaluated to complete this gap, but to date none have been
successful in satisfying the regional mobility needs and
community/environmental concerns. In response to these
concerns, and to lessen the potential impact of completing the
I-710, a tunnel concept was proposed as a potential option to
the surface alternatives.
2)Purpose . This bill effectively eliminates the ability of
Caltrans to build a surface-route project to complete the
freeway gap closure by defining this segment of I-710 as a
subsurface route, thereby effectively precluding the use of
state funds on a surface project. The MTA has completed the
feasibility assessment of a tunnel alternative to extend the
I-710 from its current terminus at Valley Boulevard in the
City of Los Angeles to I-210 in the City of Pasadena.
Generally, the study concluded that the tunnel concept is
feasible. Potential environmental impacts were identified,
however, preliminary assessments concluded that these impacts
could be minimized, eliminated or mitigated. The report
concluded that no insurmountable environmental issues were
identified that would preclude further consideration of the
tunnel alternative.
Based on this, proponents argue that further study is
warranted and that the tunnel concept should be advanced to
the next more detailed stage to further validate the findings
of this assessment and to determine whether the tunnel concept
can ultimately serve as the alternative to complete the I-710.
SB 545
Page 3
According to the author, he has introduced this bill to
fulfill "a commitment made to the City of South Pasadena that
would ensure that there would never be a surface-route
solution for 710 corridor."
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081