Well it's official though in many ways I have to say that I'm against it. For a PDF file document covering Highway 39 San Gabriel Canyon Road Rehabilitation / Reopening projections and planning (182 pages long) download:

http://www.crystallake.name/highway39to2.pdf

The proposal covers re-establishing the road from around mile marker 40 all the way up to Highway 2 -- Angeles Crest Highway around mile marker 44.4.

Comments about the environmental aspects of this proposed highway restoration project can be got through the following office:

Mr. Ronald Kosinski, Deputy District Director
California Department of Transportation
Division of Environmental Planning
100 South Main Street Mail Stop 16A
Los Angeles, CA. 90012

A public hearing is scheduled for anyone who wants to get the low-down on the project, and it would be really, really cool if someone from the discussion forum here could attend and report back to us what's all going on, what was said, questions asked, what answers were.

Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009
From 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
City of Azusa Senior Center
740 North Dalton Ave
Azusa, CA. 91702

I will try to get there but since it's at night and I'm on a bicycle it is probably impossible for me to attend. If someone else could go and take notes, it might be valuable information to pass along to the hikers, bikers, campers, and climbers in this forum.

People can also telephone the Department's Public Affairs Office at 213-897-3656 or, probably better, Mr. Eduardo Aguilar at 213-897-8492.

One of the proposed goals of this project is something I have a great deal of disfavor for, outlines in the DoT's public notice. In extract it reads:

The proposed project would also restore a vital traffic circulation connection between points north on State Route 2 (SR-2) and points south in the San Gabriel Valley along Interstate Route 210 (Foothill Freeway or I-210.)

What this means for us, the hikers, bikers, campers, picknickers, and climbers is two or three times the vehicle traffic in the tight canyon where we will be driving and biking -- and hiking for those intrepid among us of us who go in to the mountains on foot.

From what I've seen, some $74,000,000 has been set aside or otherwise allocated for the highway restoration. The way these projects usually go, however, we can count on the dollar value being around twice that, and with the proposed time frame likewise being twice whatever the projected time frame is.

On the other hand re-opening the 4 mile section of the highway will bring revenues in to Azusa, to the shooting range, and bring more crime, drugs, shootings, domestic abuse, and what not in to the now-pristine Crystal Lake Recreation Area.

Overall I think that the restoration of the road is more bad than good but in the end the hundred and fifty million dollars this will probably cost us that will be given to the construction firms will speak louder than any lowly opposing simple citizen can speak.

My opinions only and only myt opinions, as always.