From the public town hall meeting on the 710 Mobility Improvements Project (Photo – Alenna Espadas)
The City of Alhambra held a public town hall meeting on the 710 Mobility Improvements Project, where city officials, consultants, and residents reviewed alternative plans for the future of the I-710 stub and surrounding corridors. Mayor Jeff Maloney described the session as “meant to be an interactive meeting,” as the city weighs how to proceed with major mobility and land-use decisions tied to the corridor.
By Alborz Mohtashami
City staff presented input from Cal State LA, technical research from Kimley-Horn, and coordination with Caltrans. Officials outlined five alternative mobility improvement plans (MIPs), noting that the council is considering advancing either one or two options concurrently—both of which would require Caltrans approval.
Consultant Analysis: Converting the 710 Stub
A major presentation by Kimley-Horn reviewed long-term corridor conditions following the cancellation of the I-710 extension. The firm identified the remaining 710 stub between I-10 and Valley Boulevard as a significant source of cut-through traffic and congestion.
Their analysis suggested that converting the stub into a four-lane divided arterial roadway—with bike lanes and a shared-use path—could provide broader congestion relief than extending freeway-like conditions toward Mission Road. The concept would also reconfigure freeway access near the I-10 corridor, an area identified as a major weaving and bottleneck point.
The project was described in phases:
- Phase 1: State-led improvements focused on freeway entry and operational adjustments
- Phase 2: City-led redesign of the 710 stub corridor
Planning stages were also outlined, including planning (PSR-PDS), project approval and environmental (PA&ED), design and right-of-way phases, and construction. City, consultant, and Caltrans representatives emphasized that each stage requires formal approval and may loop back depending on environmental findings or public input.
Fremont Corridor and Alternative Scenarios
Discussion also focused on the Fremont corridor and its relationship to the 710 stub redesign. Officials presented conceptual alternatives intended to account for potential impacts along the I-10 corridor.
Two major options were discussed:
- Advancing Fremont environmental work alongside 710 stub planning
- Studying the 710 stub independently, which would delay broader corridor analysis
Consultants noted that concurrent study would allow both corridors to inform each other’s traffic modeling and environmental review.
The proposed Fremont alternatives included varying design intensities, some of which would not require residential property acquisition. An I-10 braided ramp concept was also discussed as a potential solution to reduce weaving conflicts between freeway transitions.
Public Comments: Traffic, Costs, and Land Use Concerns
Public input ranged across traffic operations, fiscal responsibility, safety, and land-use impacts.
Alhambra has been allocated $240.9M in MIP funding across five projects, concerning four I-10 interchanges (at I-710, Fremont, Atlantic, and Garfield) as well as funding for additional traffic synchronization and bike and pedestrian improvements.
Several residents expressed concern that delays in decision-making could reduce the value of available funding, citing inflationary pressures and long-standing congestion on Fremont, Atlantic, Garfield, and Valley Boulevards. Others questioned whether sufficient traffic modeling had been completed to support current design assumptions.
Multiple speakers urged the city to prioritize pedestrian safety, bike infrastructure, and transit alternatives rather than freeway-focused improvements, suggesting expanded bus service and broader “Walk, Bike, Move Alhambra!” strategies.
Residents also urged the city to reconsider the design of the 710 stub, currently proposed as an arterial road with a bike lane and walking path to the east. Citing the Reconnecting Pasadena urban revitalization plans, residents lobbied for a mixed-use residential and commercial corridor that would turn the stub into a transit-oriented development due to its proximity to the Cal State LA Transit Center.
Other comments focused on potential property and business impacts. Two residents – including a family business owner – raised concerns about displacement near freeway-adjacent areas, while city staff and consultants reiterated that residential acquisitions are not currently planned under the alternatives under consideration.
There were also calls for greater transparency, including making communications with Cal State LA public and improving access to project data and modeling. Some community members requested for an RFP for any additional research, citing potential conflicts of interest regarding the consultant.
Financial and Policy Debate
Speakers debated the use of regional transportation funding, including Measure R allocations, and whether delays have reduced purchasing power over time. Some argued that inflation could significantly reduce future project scope, while others urged prioritization of non-freeway investments such as bike infrastructure and transit expansion.
While city staff pointed out that funding has already been allocated for the pedestrian portion of the “Walk, Bike, Move Alhambra!” plan within MIP funding, Mayor Maloney divulged that the bike portion was left out due to previously restrictive Metro funding guidelines. Since those have changed, Councilmembers signaled a willingness to fund bike infrastructure implementation.
Representatives from Caltrans noted that regional funding flows through Metro, and that mitigation responsibilities depend on the selected project and environmental findings.
Council Direction: Additional Traffic Study Approved
City officials emphasized that no final project decision was made at the meeting. Instead, the council agreed to proceed with a focused traffic and impact study in coordination with Kimley-Horn.
Mayor Maloney said the next step is to gather clearer data on potential impacts the 710 stub reconfiguration – in various iterations from arterial to boulevard – would have on Fremont, Atlantic, Garfield, and the I-10 corridor before selecting any alternative. Consultants estimated the streamlined study could take approximately four months.
Councilmembers also requested additional clarity on traffic safety, school-area impacts, funding flexibility, and long-term land-use implications. Officials noted that the study findings could also inform future decisions, including potential investments in bike infrastructure.
Next Steps
The meeting concluded with agreement to move forward with a targeted traffic analysis to better understand the effects of proposed 710 stub configurations and related Fremont corridor changes. Officials indicated that additional town halls will be held before any project approval or environmental commitment is made.
Alborz Mohtashami is an Alhambra resident, music lover, coffee enthusiast, library browser, and urbanism advocate. He is the co-chair of Alhambra Urbanists, a local chapter of Abundant Housing LA.
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