City’s 710 Advisory Group Tour of Freeway Stub Stymied When Tour Bus is a No-Show

The Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group bus tour of the footprint of the 710 freeway extension stub did not occur on Wednesday evening as planned when the tour bus did not show up. Assistant City Manager David Reyes said the event was canceled after participants waited at multiple locations, including City Hall, for about one hour.

“For reasons wholly unsatisfactory, the Charter Bus company that we booked to provide transportation for this evening’s bus tour was a complete no-show. Despite confirmation regarding the date, time and route, they failed to show up,” Reyes said. “We apologize to the public, City Councilmembers, Committee members, and staff that set aside their valuable time to attend.”

Reyes said participants waited for an hour, during which City officials conducted telephone conversations with the bus company dispatch indicating that the bus was close, or on the way, or at the wrong location. 

After the last call, City staff were sent to the various stops to let people know that the tour was not going to happen.

A group of at least 20 members of the public and Advisory Group along with Pasadena City Councilmember Steve Madison waited at one location for as much as 45 minutes before the event was canceled. 

The Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group finished the meeting at City Hall in Council Chambers and tentatively agreed to reschedule the tour for August 30th at 6 p.m. utilizing City buses operated by Pasadena Transit instead of a contractor.

The Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group’s mission is to provide insight and recommendations to the City Council about the site’s prospective transformation.

The tour was to have consisted of three stops, first at Bellfontaine Street and St. John Avenue. The second stop was to take place at Del Mar Boulevard and South Pasadena Avenue, before finally stopping at South Pasadena Avenue and Holly Street.

The tour was to have embarked from City Hall, located at 100 N. Garfield Ave., after their 6 p.m. meeting, estimated to last roughly two hours. Alternatively, attendees could independently meet the group at specific checkpoints.

The first stop on the tour was slated for 6:40 p.m. at Bellefontaine Street and St. John Avenue, at the site’s southern end, where near-term projects were to be the topic of conversation. Subsequent stops were to include a 7:10 p.m. halt at Del Mar Boulevard and S. Pasadena Avenue for discussions about the drainage system, and a 7:40 p.m. pause at Holly Street and S. Pasadena Ave. to talk about freeway ramp modifications.