Caltrans abandons cleanup of local freeway interchanges
The overgrown weeds and trash on the 605 Freeway from the Katella Avenue on and off ramps south to the 405 Freeway is being ignored by a Caltrans that has had increased funding from last years increased gas tax dollars.
You can find mattresses, tires, chairs and furniture along all adjacent ramps and the main highway in all directions. The tumble weeds along the east side of 605 Freeway and the east and west roadways of 7th Street to the 405 Freeway resemble the wild prairies of Texas!
This disgraceful situation has been brought to the attention of OCTA and Caltrans at a local homeowners meeting three months ago, and in recent phone calls—but nothing has been done.
The only reply from OCTA was that this area is under the jurisdiction of the construction contractor for the 405 Freeway project, and that Caltrans cannot trespass!
Does this mean we have to wait to the completion of this project to 2023 or probably later?
But the real problem is that this dysfunctional California agency does not see the problem themselves.
Why is it that when you leave the state freeways and enter either Seal Beach or Los Alamitos streets you find attractive medians, road shoulders and landscape constantly cared for?
For example, when you exit at Katella Avenue and enter Los Alamitos, you find manicured medians with flowers, and the south side of Katella with mowed lawns and trimmed trees?
All of the political signs in this area from election three weeks ago are long removed, but the ones on the Caltrans access ramps will maybe remain until the next election.
The adjacent areas to Caltrans right of ways are always abandoned landscaping, dead vegetation, trash of every description, broken fences and full-blown graffiti. If Caltrans is incompetent, then this State agency should surrender the proper funds to the adjacent cities to clean up this blight.
John Kouros
Rossmoor
Seal Beach is a nice town
While walking down Main Street last week, Brooke, my granddaughter asked me – “Grandma, is it a law that you have to be nice to live in Seal Beach?”
Everyone is so nice in this town and especially ms. Jenna and the other librarians at the Seal Beach Library. Seal Beach is indeed, a “very nice” town.
Jane and Brooke
Long Beach
