Angelenos torn over funds to fix CA’s oldest freeway
TEXT OF STORY
Bill Radke: The oldest freeway in the car-loving state of California sits right outside our Marketplace studios, and it definitely is showing its age. The road is getting some much-needed repairs. Reporter Eve Troeh says it is also getting some cosmetic work done, and with California in a budget crisis, that has raised eyebrows.
Eve Troeh The Pasadena freeway hasn’t changed much since it was built 60 years ago, with narrow lanes made for slower cars. Today, it’s an infamous Los Angeles driving challenge. Just getting on it is harrowing. It doesn’t have on-ramps. Only stop signs.
Troeh: Passenger has to be lookout, OK?
Rico Gagliano:Alright, after this second car here . . . all right go go go go go.
Troeh:OK OK OK OK. Oh my god.
Rico and I made it on OK. But that’s just the beginning of this road’s issues.
Dali Colorado: There’s places where there’s no fencing, places where there’s no walls, where it just looks like it’s abandoned.
Dali Colorado has lived most of her life near this freeway on the east side of L.A. She’s thrilled the government is spending $17 million to make it safer with new medians and concrete side walls. Because she likes the ride.
Colorado: You can see the river, there’s all this greenery, there’s all these parks.
It’s so pretty, the road’s been named a national scenic byway. And that means another change. The Pasadena freeway is going back to its maiden name: the Arroyo Seco Parkway. All the signs have to be changed. It’s costing taxpayers $650,000. A lot of Angelenos say that’s way too much, like Jackie Gibson.
Jackie Gibson: Did we vote in it? I didn’t! I mean there’s better things we can do with that $650,000.
But the California Department of Transportation says the money came from a grant earmarked only for this project. Judy Gish is a spokesperson:
Judy Gish: Funds from the federal highway administration would not be able to be diverted to be used to fund schools.
Resident Dali Colorado agrees it’s expensive, but she sees how the new — old — name could attract visitors.
Colorado: Open up Sunset magazine and it’s like: come to the historic Arroyo Seco Parkway.
But she says probably only tourists would call it that. Locals will likely keep using the road’s least romantic moniker: The 110.
In Los Angeles, I’m Eve Troeh for Marketplace.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
