Pasadena's St. Andrew Catholic School Sounds Alarm Over Caltech's Mega-Construction Project and Student Safety

A storm of concern is brewing in Pasadena as parents and staff of St. Andrew Catholic School voice grave safety worries over a proposed Caltech research facility. The prestigious institution plans a massive three-year construction project directly across the street from the bustling school, leaving the community fearful for the well-being of its nearly 600 students.

At the heart of the anxiety is the sheer scale of the proposed Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) facility.

Imagine this: for three agonizing years, up to 300 colossal construction trucks a day are expected to rumble past the school's entrance, right when children are arriving and leaving. "Three hundred trucks is a lot, for children crossing the street," lamented one distraught parent, encapsulating the palpable fear shared by many.

The intersection, already a busy thoroughfare, would become a hazardous labyrinth of heavy machinery and young, vulnerable pedestrians.

The proximity of the construction site isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a direct threat, according to parents. With the school and its play area situated a mere stone's throw from the upcoming work zone, concerns aren't limited to traffic.

Dust, noise, and air quality issues loom large, threatening to transform the learning environment into a chaotic, potentially unhealthy space. Parents have vivid nightmares of accidents, of children navigating a veritable war zone just to get to school.

For months, the St. Andrew community has engaged in a desperate plea for Caltech to reconsider, or at least significantly mitigate, the project's impact.

Multiple meetings have taken place, but many parents feel their earnest pleas have fallen on deaf ears. "It's like they're just pushing forward without truly understanding the daily reality for our children," a school official shared, highlighting a pervasive feeling of being ignored by the scientific giant next door.

Caltech, for its part, acknowledges the community's concerns, stating its commitment to safety and working closely with the city and community to minimize disruptions.

They emphasize the critical importance of the CAST facility, touting its potential for groundbreaking research and benefits to the broader community. However, for the parents of St. Andrew, these assurances ring hollow against the backdrop of their children's immediate safety.

The conflict underscores a painful dilemma: balancing scientific advancement with immediate community well-being.

As construction looms, the St. Andrew Catholic School community stands united, demanding that the safety of Pasadena’s youngest citizens be paramount, not an afterthought in the pursuit of progress. Their message is clear: our children's lives are not negotiable.