For the first time since LA Metro killed the extension of the 710 Freeway, the agency on Wednesday approved 34 alternative projects, saying improvements to roads and major thoroughfares affected by traffic from the freeway’s northern terminus represents a new, cities-driven approach that flies in the face of Caltrans’ more-than-60-year desire to complete the 4.1-mile gap between El Sereno, South Pasadena and Pasadena.

The Metro Ad Hoc Congestion, Highway and Roads Committee unanimously approved the first set of projects worth a total of $514.4 million. The list must be approved by the LA Metro Board of Directors at their meeting in December.

“A year ago, I would not have believed we could’ve put a project list like this together,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro committee member Kathryn Barger, who has led an effort to bring cities on opposite sides of the freeway fight together. “This is a bottoms-up approach. These projects are recommended by those cities impacted.”

The cities of Pasadena and Alhambra — who have opposed and supported the freeway extension, respectively — are the big winners.

Pasadena

In west Pasadena, where the street-level Gold Line train blocks traffic along east-west California Boulevard just east of Raymond Avenue, a grade separation is recommended to remove the backup of cars waiting for the trains to travel in and out of the Del Mar Station.

The cost is $105 million, the most expensive project on the list and the only one in Pasadena.

Cars back up for several traffic signal cycles, waiting for the gates to rise and the light-rail trains to move on. The intersection has been a bone of contention for Pasadena motorists since the Gold Line began running in 1998.

It is also a place where cars have crashed into rail gates and/or trains, causing delays for motorists and transit riders alike.

“I am delighted,” said Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek. “This has been the bane of our existence from the day the Gold Line opened.”

“The project is in close proximity to the I-710 “Gap” and grade-separating California Boulevard at the Gold Line will greatly improve traffic flow not only in the east-west direction but also in the north-south direction,” according to a Metro report on the project.

The report says building either an overpass or an underpass will help improve the flow of pedestrians and cyclists between the eastern and western portions of the city.

Alhambra

Director John Fasana at the last minute added a project submitted by the city of Alhambra to take out the concrete freeway lanes from the 10 Freeway north to Valley Boulevard.

In other words, Alhambra is proposing the 710 Freeway end at the 10, where cars can go eastbound on the 10 or westbound but no longer end up on Alhambra streets, where traffic backs up every day.

“The (freeway) connection is no longer being made, that is pretty clear. So that stud doesn’t serve a purpose except to get cars up to Alhambra and drive into our residential streets,’ said Alhambra Mayor Jeff Maloney in an interview. “So the status quo doesn’t work for us.”

Maloney credited Fasana with adding $100 million to study the concept of reclaiming 51 acres of concrete freeway and turning it into a regional park shared by Alhambra, Monterey Park and the city of Los Angeles. He said Alhambra would work with Metro, Caltrans and the neighboring cities on the southern stud proposal.

“It think it is a win-win.”

United cities

State Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada, who worked to kill the tunnel, said the Metro committee vote shows that cities once on opposite sites of the freeway proposal are now working together on local alternatives.

“Two things are happening: We are seeing taxpayer dollars being used to solve real problems and it’s further evidence the 710 tunnel is dead.”

The monies allocated for these and future projects were set aside for the freeway extension in Measure R, a half-cent transportation sales tax passed for Los Angeles County road, rail and transit-related projects in 2008. The 710 Freeway gap was earmarked for $780 million.

After the environmental impact report was written and circulated, about $730 million remains, said Metro.

In May 2017, the Metro board voted to withdraw all money from the freeway tunnel, estimated to cost between $3 billion and $5 billion, and voted for the local roads and traffic management alternative. Co-agency, Caltrans, has not yet signed off on the local roads alternative. The state agency is expected to do so by the end of this month, according to Metro and Tornek.

Projects by City

— Alhambra: fixes to on- and off-ramps on the 10 Freeway at Fremont Avenue, Atlantic Boulevard and Garfield Avenue (total cost = $60 million); Traffic signal synchronization on various streets ($3.5 million).

— Monterey Park: Widening of Ramona Road, Garvey Avenue, Garfield Avenue and Atlantic Avenue (total cost = $31.3 million); adding three parking structures on Garvey ($60 million)

— South Pasadena: Interchange improvements to 110 Freeway at Fair Oaks Avenue ($38 million)

— San Gabriel: A roundabout to Cesar Chavez Avenue/Lorena Street/Indiana Street ($8 million); Mission Drive and Las Tunas Drive intersection improvements ($3.3 million); Traffic signal control on Valley Boulevard and San Gabriel Boulevard ($3.1 million).

— San Marino: Traffic signal synchronization on Huntington Drive ($7 million) and San Gabriel Boulevard ($3 million).

— Los Angeles County: Traffic corridor improvement on Atlantic Boulevard ($3.7 million), Arizona Avenue/Monterey Pass Road/Fremont Avenue ($7 million), Eastern Avenue ($1.9 million), City Terrace Drive ($800,000); Floral Drive ($250,000).

— Los Angeles: Traffic signal upgrades in El Sereno ($10 million)