Judge Harry Pregerson and the Consent Decree

In 1979, the California Department of Transportation entered the consent decree that not only altered the freeway’s dimensions but also mandated substantial investment in social programs to mitigate the project’s impact on communities.[1]

The Building of the Century Freeway

Although the Consent Decree brought some improvements and addressed certain issues that initially plagued the construction project, life in and around the corridor still bore the impacts of ongoing construction.

A quarterly report from the Office of the Advocate for Corridor Residents sheds light on some of the challenges faced by those who remained in the corridor, notably severe dust problems during construction. In October 1987, Cheryl D. Watson, a resident of Los Angeles, wrote to Caltrans regarding the serious issue of dust and dirt from the nearby construction of the Century Freeway site adversely affecting her family’s health. She emphasized the constant presence of dust and dirt in her home, which significantly impacted her family’s well-being. Given the clear health hazard posed by the project, she requested that Caltrans provide relocation options without imposing penalties.

The response from Larry S. Stevens, a Senior Right-Of-Way agent in Caltrans, was undoubtedly disheartening to the Watson family. He informed Mrs. Watson that the best they could do was spray water onto the dirt to reduce dust emissions from the construction zone. Moreover, he informed her that state law prohibited the purchase of the Watson property.

Endnotes
[1]  [Opening New Freeway, Los Angeles Ends Era \(Published 1993\)](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/14/us/opening-new-freeway-los-angeles-ends-era.html)