Glimpses of South Pasadena: Fair Oaks Construction

Friday, March 4, 2011

Fair Oaks Construction

I think it should be called Un-Fair Oaks Construction.

Tell me again how this is going to help?

28 comments:

dbdubya said...: This is the South Pasadena way to facilitate the flow of traffic. Take away parking spots, add a center divider and narrow the lanes. In South Pasadena they take federal money to improve traffic flow and use it to do a street beautification project and claim it will improve traffic. It will be nice when done, though.; March 4, 2011 at 12:11 AM
Cafe Pasadena said...: I was caught in that war zone the other day. Looked like that part of SoPasa, along with de Rialto, are in need of work in the worse way yet.; March 4, 2011 at 12:35 AM
Judy Williams said...: At first, I thought it was a war zone. Oh, I'm looking above my comment and see that Cafe Pasadena thinks the same thing. WOW; March 4, 2011 at 5:18 AM
Mister Earl said...: Yesterday I noticed two side streets that feed into Fair Oaks and one stretch of Fair Oaks connecting them that were coned off without any work having started. This may have been done intentionally to improve flow, or it may just be a contractor that is clueless. I doubt that the city is seriously monitoring this. And boy, the contractor's vehicles and crew look like they are a rag-tag crew - just don't appear very professional, although I hope they are.; March 4, 2011 at 5:28 AM
Mister Earl said...: Businesses are really hurting. Starbucks' sidewalk has been removed from both directions - not one direction at a time. They're having trouble giving their employees enough hours to maintain their health insurance.; March 4, 2011 at 6:10 AM
San Diego Farmgirl said...: Perhaps the 'spend it or lose it' public budgeting mentality at work here?

WV: seeswin
Like a cease-fire, the construction on Fair Oaks is a seeswin proposition.; March 4, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Trish said...: it'll be great---see, this will "prove" that traffic is down and the 710 doesn't need to be constructed, therefore, everything is "fiiiiiine".

what I'd like to see is whether revenue is down from this---poor Starbux folks...that's just wrong---and how this is putting pressure on the city budget. I understand having to use it or lose it, but, really? Decline in revenue, traffic and people's time to shop will HELP SoPas? I dun think so Lucy!

if they are state or fed paid contractors, they have to be vetted before bidding---unless it was sub'd out to another crew. I would ask the city about such things as the sidewalk closures, the crew parking, the crew closing off streets for no apparent reason. ASK! Sometimes, there IS a reason that we don't know about. Sometimes, the crew is just lazy. If no one complains, no one will know someone finds it offensive, no one will do anything about it.; March 4, 2011 at 8:56 AM
Not Retired said...: We are living down Mission for 4 mos., avoiding Chgo winter. I am enjoying following S. Pasadena as this reflects alot of what I am seeing each day, e.g. the crazy weekend lighting over the mountains. And laughed when I saw today's Un-fair Oaks Construction. Tried to manuever around the traffic last night (sorta like avoiding Wrigley traffic on game day) to get to the Pet Store and lost but did experience the new street parking curbs. And this morning, listened to a nursury (plants) owner gvitch about the construction and how this is hurting and will continue to hurt business owners when so many people are struggling. Experienced similar questions/concerns when center roadway planters were added to many main Chgo streets. The plants continue to be maintained and it continues to be a source of pleasure for me but I see the "jobs" it has created but wonder the balence of what it takes away from and who with city connections is benefiting.; March 4, 2011 at 9:00 AM
TheChieftess said...: Hmmmm...that's not a war zone???

wv: refartfu....I can't even imagine!!!; March 4, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Anonymous said...: I too don't really understand what or why they are doing this on Fair Oaks. Great blog title today Laurie.; March 4, 2011 at 11:19 AM
Mister Earl said...: I think Farmgirl is right - we got the money, so we're spending it, whether it helps traffic flow or not, whether it hurts businesses or not. If the Low-Build Alternative to the Freeway ever comes into being, and Fair Oaks ever becomes a one-way street, all the work that we're doing now will need to be redone. But governments don't think that way. They think, "We've got it, spend it!"

WV: bagorli. I tried to get to the bagorli shop, but couldn't get there because of all the traffic on Fair Oaks.; March 4, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Mister Earl said...: A friend of mine thinks businesses may sue the city over this. That will just up the price on this boondoggle.; March 4, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Jon said...: Scary picture L.

My guess is that the council is building permanent ditches to protect us from any bears DB may be sending down.

wv: bepterse - Using few words regarding the break even point, e.g. The council was bepterse on the bear ditches.; March 4, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Mister Earl said...: The bears are tame... complete the sentence.; March 4, 2011 at 1:09 PM
Laurie Allee said...: The business owners are really hurting, and I am frustrated that there was so little discussion about HOW MUCH IMPACT this was going to have on the community. I hate to see any more people lose jobs over this. I really hate to see any businesses go under because of it. Sometimes in a bad economy you're just one bad month away from not making your lease.

That BOTH sides of the street are messed up at the same time seems the height of idiocy to me. Also, isn't this just like putting speed bumps on Fair Oaks? How is this potentially going to ease traffic other than make Fremont more congested? Maybe I just don't get the plan.; March 4, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Laurie Allee said...: OH, and welcome NOt Retired! Glad to have you here!; March 4, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Green Guy said...: Didn't people speak at the council meeting about this? I wonder whaqt they had to say.

I tried to get to Gus's the other day and it would have taken too long to get back to work. I imagine a lot of people are not patronizing the Fair Oaks corridor. It is bound to have a huge impact for sales.; March 4, 2011 at 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...: It is definitely hurting our business. Thanks for your great blog, Laurie.; March 4, 2011 at 3:49 PM
Mister Earl said...: How can such a great town be so poorly run? A wise man once explained to me that part of the reason is that our low-growth philosophy means that we can't pay to get the best people.

WV: Bulps. Unintended speed bumps.; March 4, 2011 at 4:00 PM
Judy Williams said...: There is an area of downtown Austin that is suffering the same fate - the businesses have all but shut their doors because of the lack of patrons since THEY CAN'T GET THERE.

Progress? I don't think so.

wv: intslad

Can't they do something intslad of that?; March 4, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Mister Earl said...: Yes, Judy, something "instead" can be done. Just not by these folks.; March 4, 2011 at 4:39 PM
Mister Earl said...: You know the saying, "WWWD?" What would Watson do?; March 4, 2011 at 4:40 PM
Pissed Off So Pas Biz Owner said...: This is lunacy. I understand using the money that you have to use but destroying both sides of the street with no warning is absurd. I say sue the city.; March 4, 2011 at 5:21 PM
Cafe Pasadena said...: The Chief said it wood bee like this.; March 4, 2011 at 6:36 PM
Mister Earl said...: He must be a genius. That's the answer for everything. The City Attorney told me that the reason I was getting little action on a matter said, "That's government."; March 4, 2011 at 6:49 PM
Sally said...: I couldn't get to the freeway today. Madness.; March 4, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Cafe Pasadena said...: You mean The 710, Sally????; March 5, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Hugh Hemington said...: Could this be "better"? Yes. If "better" people bothered to run for City Council and serve. Is that YOU?

Both sides of the street were torn up at the same time due to an arbitrary decision that saved the contractor money and us NOTHING.

Are you finding out when the next election is yet?

Street parking along Fair Oaks will be reduced. Do you think we had TOO MUCH parking before? (how's that election research going now?)

Remember what a hassle it WAS to turn right from a side street? Try waiting for all the other cars WITH SHORTER SIGNAL CYCLES! (hint: it's in November!)

Am I making a "funny", yeah. But how funny is it really? If you don't like something, you can either get involved or lay there and suck on it. DECIDE.; March 30, 2011 at 2:46 PM