SWCAMBORNE

Dear Steve

You stated in your email “Pasadena has no control over South Pasadena’s streets.” but you are wrong. If South Pasadena closed Orange Grove Blvd. and wouldn’t allow cars from Pasadena on it at all would we have “no control?” So why is it that they can cut the size of the southbound lanes by 50% and you claim that we have no control.

Maybe there are other reasons that the Pasadena City Council choses not to fight this restriction of traffic but “no control” is not one of them.

About five years ago I was told by city officials that South Pasadena closed one of the southbound lanes on Orange Grove because of safety issues related to the collapse of a retaining wall. There was no indication that the lane would stay closed. Now it is permanently closed. By allowing this traffic retriction you and the Pasadena City Council have not acted in the best interests of the majority of the people of Pasadena.

Simon

Pasadena City Councilman Steve Haderlein’s response to my email about the narrowing of South Orange Grove Avenue.

From: sjhaderlein@mycingular.blackberry.net
Subject: Re: South Orange Grove Avenue
Date: October 27, 2006 6:28:34 PM PDT
To: Simon@swcamborne.com

Unfortunate as it may be, Pasadena has no control over South Pasadena’s streets.

Let’s stay in touch.

Steve Haderlein

My original email to Councilman Haderlein:

Steve
I am a resident of East Pasadena and was stunned to see that the
reconstruction of Orange Grove Avenue in South Pasadena between the
City line and the 110 freeway is going to make the road one lane
permanently. This is wrong. South Pasadena is being selfish again
and you and the Pasadena City Council are letting them get away with it.
First they blocked the 710 freeway and it required a referendum to
stop you from helping them. Then they slowed down the Gold Line
trains. Now they are reducing traffic flow on one of the major
routes from our area to downtown. What are you going to do to stop
this selfish behavior by South Pasadena. Please represent the
thousands of people in your district who are forced to commute a
little bit longer each day.
Thank you.

Simon

Next “Why Haderlein is Wrong”

live in South Pasadena.  I have ranted three time in the last week against the city of South Pasadena and the joint actions of the residents of the city.  I’m going to rant a lot more on the topic.  However I want to make it clear that in my mind this struggle is a good thing.  Individual residents of South Pasadena do not all agree with their cities actions and they often act differently as a group than they do as individuals.  See The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowieki for more information on why this is often the case
In a democracy everybody has the right to try to get the system to work in a way that furthers their own self interests.  The people of South Pasadena have done this very successfully for several generations now.  I think that by acting in their own best interests and not considering the interests of their neighbors they have gone to far.  I intend to fight back by using shame, humor, the power of the internet and whatever else I can.  Don’t take it personally!

I’d calmed down for a few years about the way that South Pasadena had been able to keep the 710 freeway from being built. But the shock of learning that they were permanently narrowing Orange Grove Avenue has spurred me back to action.

Here are some things that individuals can do to express their anger at South Pasadena for their selfish behavior:
1. Avoid shopping, dining or doing business in South Pasadena.
2. Tell other why you avoid doing business there.
3. If you are frustrated by the traffic on Fremont Street or Mission Blvd. honk your horn let them know.
4. July 10th is 7/10 is South Pasadena action day. We may need to have a stall-in or a car horn orchestra practice. Check my web site for updates.
5. Visit http://www.710gap.com/overview/204.htm and let them know you support them.
6. Forward this link to other people who have to commute through this area.
7. Email your city council person or county supervisor and let them know of your outrage.

A few years ago after the Pasadena City Council supported South Pasadena in their efforts to block construction of the 710 Freeway a ballot initiative was passed in Pasadena telling our the council to be quiet. Since then they have been quiet. Now it is time for Pasadena to take the next step and be vocal in favor of finishing the 710 freeway.

Orange Grove Ave in Pasadena, 4 lanes

If you live in Pasadena and feel the way I do please email your councilperson, be vocal and firm. We can push back against South Pasadena and keep access to the 110 freeway open. Orange Grove Ave. should be 4 lanes to the 110 Freeway. The 710 Freeway should be completed and the Gold Line should operate at the originally specified speed. Tell the Pasadena City Council to stand up for Pasadena and force South Pasadena be a better neighbor. Visit Close the Gap for more information.

Is it okay if a million people have to suffer a little bit so that a few thousand can keep thing the way they are? This is the situation with the 710 Freeway. The people of South Pasadena have successfully blocked completing the freeway for more than 40 years. The people of Alhambra have had to bare the brunt of the burden. But the residents of Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, La Canada and many other cities in the San Gabriel Valley have had their commutes lengthened and the traffic increased a little in their neighborhoods so that South Pasadena can keep thing the way they were.

A special interest group with a lot to gain or lose can concentrate its effort on influencing the media and the politicians while a million people who suffer in the margin are not heard. A picture of a family who will “lose there house” makes good media but it is hard to picture the suffering of the million people whose daily commute is 5 minutes longer because the 710 freeway was never completed. This is one of the flaws of our democracy.

I was amazed last week when I was driving down Orange Grove Avenue in South Pasadena to see that the improvements being installed do not include returning the road to four lanes wide. How can it be that South Pasadena, after stopping construction of the 710 freeway for 40 years, can get away with making one of the access roads to the 110 freeway permanently narrower?

South Pasadena has got to be one of America’s most selfish cities. But where are the city council people of Pasadena? How could they let this happen? What about fairness?

I propose that since the people of South Pasadena don’t want us to drive on a freeway in their city we do the only reasonable thing and not allow them to drive on the freeway in any city that there selfish behavior effects. All residents of South Pasadena should have their cars marked, maybe with a big “S” for selfish and they should not be allowed to drive on the 210 or the 10 freeways west of the 605. Fair is fair. They won’t let us drive on freeways in their town. We don’t want them on the freeway in our town.

Now what to do about the city council in Pasadena? It is time to elect some new people who will stand up to the Selfish South Pasadena crowd. Twenty years ago when Arcadia installed signs and bumps to keep the people from Sierra Madre from driving through their city to get to the 210 freeway. Sierra Madre sued and made them back down. What is the matter with our elected officials that they won’t put the interests of their constituents first?