Arcadia First!, aka Westfield Santa Anita, is back with another full-page scare-tactic ad in the Jan. 31 Pasadena Star-News alarming Arcadians by saying "There are at least 1 MILLION good reasons NOT to build the Caruso Mall," noting the mall will bring "over 1 million new car trips each month to Arcadia's streets."
That 1 MILLION may look frightening, as intended, but it's simply a multiplication/extrapalation of the number that the developer of the Shops at Santa Anita, Caruso Affiliated, has been using publicly from the beginning -- 15,000 cars going to (and then leaving) the new Shops each day (30,000 total daily trips), multiplied by 31 days in a month.
What is not noted in the ad, of course, is that Caruso has also promised in writing to make improvements to related streets and intersections in Arcadia around the new Shops that city-hired analysts have concluded will result in traffic flow that will be better at 16 intersections even with the extra traffic than it would be without the new Shops.
That's a project that will cost Caruso between $10 million - $15 million. And that's $10 million - $15 million that the city does not have to spend on improving worsening traffic in Arcadia, even without the new Shops at Santa Anita.
Also not in the ad is any mention of the fact that Arcadia firefighter and police associations have recently officially endorsed the Shops at Santa Anita, in large part because of the improved traffic flow that will allow them to provide more efficient emergency services.
It can be no coincidence that the new ad ran on the first of two days that a world-renowned traffic engineer called Sam Schwartz is making a handful of presentations to community groups and the Chamber of Commerce. Schwartz, who has improved traffic problems from Europe to New York, in front of Buckingham Palace and in Times Square, is showing the efforts already made to help Caruso Affiliated, the developers of the proposed Shops at Santa Anita, fulfill their stated promise of improving traffic flow in Arcadia so that it winds up better even with the extra car trips than it is now.
Schwartz, like Caruso, has come to Arcadia to listen to Arcadians before proceeding with any specific plans. He spent a Saturday morning on Dec. 9 riding around town with representatives from the Arcadia Firefighters Association, the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, homeowners associations, Arcadia Wins! and other community groups and residents, to see firsthand and hear in person our views about the streets and intersections that cause the biggest problems. He will listen to input again today and tomorrow and make presentations about his plans before submitting a final plan to Caruso Affiliated.
We can all allow ourselves to be frightened by numbers like 1 MILLION new car trips and wind up with no new Shops and traffic that will continue to get worse with no money to improve it, or we can provide input and listen carefully to a rare proposal by a developer who is offering to spend $10 mil. - $15 mil. of his own money to improve our city streets and intersections so that we can spend less time in our cars.

Scott Hettrick
founder, Arcadia Wins!



 
 

 

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