After Seven Years, Bicycle Facilities Identified in the 2015 Bicycle Transportation Action Plan Yet To Be Constructed

The 2015 Bicycle Transportation Action Plan outlined the construction of nine dedicated bicycle facilities throughout the city along with several ‘Roseways,’ a network of low-speed, low-traffic neighborhood streets ideal for safe,comfortable bicycling.

These plans, which were driven by public participation through numerous community meetings, were planned to be constructed on Cordova Street, Union Street, Colorado Boulevard (East), Wilson Avenue Greenway, El Molino Avenue Greenway, Craig Avenue Greenway, Sierra Bonita Avenue Greenway, Villa Street Greenway and Orange Grove Boulevard.

During the meeting of the Municipal Services Committee (MSC) on Tuesday, October 25, it was revealed that of all the nine dedicated bicycle facilities identified under the plan, only one is under construction and that is the 1.5 miles Cycletrack planned for Union Street, which is projected to cost $8.34 million to complete.

“We’re very strongly anticipating that it will be completed in the ground and ready for use in April. [Around] April, May 2023,” City Associate Engineer Donson Liu said.

Liu said the construction of the 1.5 miles Class II bike lanes on Cordova Street, which costs $4.48 million, is scheduled to begin construction in February 2023.

According to Liu, the traffic calming, intersection control improvements and bike boulevard designation planned for Wilson Avenue Greenway, El Molino Avenue Greenway, Craig Avenue Greenway, Sierra Bonita Avenue Greenway, Villa Street Greenway with costs ranging from $1.42-$3.97 million, remain unfunded while the $6.5 million road configuration and class II Bike Lanes planned for Orange Grove Boulevard was defunded.

There is no target date for construction of the other projects under the 2015 Bicycle Transportation Action Plan as the construction would depend on the funding, according to Liu.

During the meeting, a resident lamented the slow completion of the projects under the plan.

“Seven years into the Bike Action Plan and we’ve completed zero routes. And we have no funding or timelines for most of the routes,” Pasadena resident Jonah Kanner said in his public comment. “As a city, we need to do better. Lots of people in Pasadena are dependent on bikes, buses and walking for transportation. We need to treat these people with fairness and equity that means providing funding, real schedules and real plans for safe bike routes in Pasadena.”

Kanner urged the city to allocate funding for the projects and not rely on grants.

“I would ask that the Municipal Services Committee allocate dedicated funding to complete the bike network at a level that allows the completion of one project per year rather than relying on grant funding,” Kanner added.

The Committee did not take any action on the matter, as it was agendized as an information item.