TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the City Attorney to draft a comment letter to the recently released I-710 project Draft Environmental Impact Report expressing support for the alternative with the least immediate impact to the I-710 study area in Long Beach, and to explore various mitigation options that serve and improve the immediate community, such as local hiring preferences, increased green space and aesthetics, as well as traffic and environmental mitigations. The comment letter shall take into consideration comments and concerns expressed by the community during the public review period.
DISCUSSION
According to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority website, the Long Beach Freeway (1-710) is a vital transportation artery, linking the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to major Southern California distribution centers and intermodal rail facilities. An essential component of the regional, statewide and national transportation system, it serves both passenger and goods movement vehicles.
As a result of population growth, increased cargo container volume at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, increasing traffic volumes, and an aging infrastructure, the 1710 Freeway experiences serious congestion and safety issues.
The EIS/EIR, a study required by federal and state statutes, is an assessment of the likely influences that future improvements may have on the environment and communities along the corridor. It includes analyses of ways to reduce or avoid possible adverse environmental impacts. It was released for comment until August 29, 2012.
The 1-710 Corridor Project EIS/EIR seeks to break new ground in not only identifying impacts and mitigation strategies but in engaging community members and stakeholders in developing strategies to improve air quality, mobility, and quality of life.
The City of Long Beach has an opportunity to work to ensure that this project is developed in a way that our immediate comm...
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