City Gets $12 Million Funding for North South Greenways Design and Construction

The Transportation Department has provided updates on the status of  the implementation of the Bicycle Transportation Action Plan (BTAP) at the Municipal Services Committee meeting on Tuesday. 

The plan, initiated in 2015 as part of the General Plan Update, is aimed at making Pasadena more bicycle-friendly and fostering sustainable transportation options.

Rich Dilluvio, city principal planner said in 2020, the department completed the Roseways network which incorporates pavement markings and wayfinding signage to allow bicyclists to easily navigate along bicycle-friendly routes, connect with other bikeways, and arrive comfortably at their destinations.

In September, the department completed the Union Street Two-Way Protected Bikeway which runs from Hill Avenue to Arroyo Parkway.

The Cordova Street Enhancement Project, which creates a complete street environment, improving safety and accessibility along Cordova Street with the addition of buffered Class II bike lanes, bicycle detection, pedestrian Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  accessibility upgrades and curb extensions to shorten crossing distances along the corridor,  is coming to completion by December 2023. 

Also in the pipeline is the North South Greenways project. 

According to Dilluvio, earlier this year, the Department of Transportation received $12 million in Measure R Mobility Improvement Program funding for the design and construction of the North South Greenways.

The Greenways as proposed will add safety enhancements to several residential streets including El Molino Avenue, Wilson Avenue, Sierra Bonita Avenue and Craig Avenue, which were identified in the 2015 BTAP.

Dilluvio said the four corridors were identified as a result of community outreach.  He said they are important because these streets connect the neighborhoods north and south of the 210 freeway. 

“I think our city needs to really look at these things holistically and seriously,” said Councilmember Tyron Hampton following the department’s presentation. “I think the community and the residents should be consulted.”

Councilmember Felicia Williams said the department should ensure that the greenways would connect to people’s destinations. 

“I worked on the 2015 BTAP and one of the things that I think has been difficult to carry forward is how do we have a whole network like if you take a greenway, where does it go, where does it connect to and that is a part that is missing for me is how do we get people around the city.

“I want to see that vision of getting people to their destinations… That’s sort of the next step in this. When we do present this to the community, we are putting a greenway on El Molino but that’s going to connect to A, B and C so you can get to these different destinations.” 

Conceptual Design for the Greenways is targeted to be completed in 2025. Community outreach will be conducted from 2025-2026. 

Construction of the Greenways is anticipated in the beginning of 2028 and completion is targeted in 2029.