Roadside Memorial Sign Program Approved by City Council

The City Council on Monday gave approval for a citywide Roadside Memorial Sign Program which will honor victims of fatal auto crashes and increase awareness of traffic safety to motorists.

Under the program, the family of a victim of a fatal collision can request a memorial sign through their local Council District six months after the incident.

The request will be handled by the director of the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Once the proposed installation of a memorial sign is approved, the DOT will determine the specifics of the sign design and location, and work with public works to install the sign.

At the Municipal Services Committee last month, Nader Asmar, principal engineer at Pasadena’s DOT, said the department will work with the victim’s family and the office of the Council District in which the collision occurred to determine what the best location is but ideally, the sign will be placed where the accident occurred.

“Our starting point is where it occurred but we will keep in mind that sometimes that location may not be suitable,” Asmar said.

The city will cover installation maintenance costs of the sign for seven years.

Councilmembers recommended to the DOT to consider revising the language on the proposed signs and add “in loving memory of” and the date of the incident on the memorial sign, and amending the language in the policy to allow non-family members to make requests for memorial signs in the absence of the victim’s family members.