Which Way to Go on the Long Beach Freeway?

In his column “Freeway: Link to Community Disaster,” Sam Hall Kaplan states, “In South Pasadena, if any one of a number of proposal routes is built, an estimated 10% of the city’s land would be consumed. . . . “

Fact: Land area of South Pasadena is 2,201.6 acres (3.44 square miles). Figures from Caltrans: Land consumption for the 2-mile section of the Meridian Variation in South Pasadena is approximately 100 acres, or less than 5% of the city’s total area. Total area consumed by the entire 6.2-mile freeway gap closure project in El Sereno, South Pasadena and Pasadena is 240 acres.

Kaplan states that Wynyate House “would be destroyed.” Absolutely not true! Other misinformation taints his analysis of the situation. I would appreciate Kaplan identifying all sources who provide statistical information for future articles. The public deserves no less.

ROBERT O. COOK

South Pasadena

Kaplan replies: There are some 20 alternatives being evaluated by Caltrans for the freeway link, each with varied impact. But there is no question that all will have an effect considerably beyond the specific acreage covered by concrete. Under some routes, the Wynyate would be lost, under others it would not.