Pasadena to reclaim land meant for the 710 extension

The Pasadena City Council approved an agreement with Caltrans to reclaim land dubbed the "710 Stub."

"Residents in Pasadena and the adjacent communities did not want to see that for their communities'," said Pasadena transportation director Laura Cornejo.

The land was originally meant for a freeway interchange between the 710 and 210 freeways. The decades-long project hoped to connect Pasadena to Long Beach by passing through El Sereno and South Pasadena but never finished because of fierce opposition. 

The opposition came from many like Lori David-Denny after the plan revealed it would have to demolish thousands of homes in its path, many of which belonged to low-income and minority residents.

"The freeway would've leveled the house completely through," she said.

While the project never finished, the construction that happened demolished 1,500 homes and displaced about 4,000 residents. 

After years of negotiations with Caltrans, the city is poised to finally reclaim the 60 acres.  

David-Denny said she bought back some of the property behind her home but the agency still owns many other houses some of which remain vacant.

"There's too many vacant houses," said Joanne Nuckols, a resident who has been vehemently opposed to the extension. "And the neighborhoods need to be restored. That's the goal right now. That's the final piece of the puzzle."

While it was a difficult road to get to this point, Cornejo is celebrating achieving this decades-long goal. 

"It is about rebuilding a community and reconnecting neighborhoods that were so diverse and culturally rich and part of Pasadena's history," said Cornejo. "We want to rebuild that."