The Department of Transportation is recommending a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. for up to $500,000 to develop the Rose Bowl Area and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan.
The study would examine transportation needs during major events and everyday community use, including walking and hiking access, parking, roadway safety, transit service and strategies to manage transportation demand.
Its scope includes the area’s roadways, pathways and parking facilities, along with connections to surrounding neighborhoods and routes used to reach events, according to a staff report.
Development is expected to begin in winter and finish during fiscal year 2028. The work would start with an assessment of existing conditions, formation of a Community Advisory Committee and a series of public engagement meetings.
The proposed contract includes $442,620 for consultant services and $57,380 in contingency funds for necessary changes approved by the city manager.
Funding would come from a $442,650 California Department of Transportation Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant and a previously budgeted $57,350 local contribution. The report states that the contract would have no additional impact on the city’s general fund beyond money already allocated.
Caltrans awarded the grant in July 2025. The council accepted it and appropriated the state funding and local contribution in October 2025.
The grant program supports transportation and land-use planning that advances regional transportation strategies and contributes to California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.
The City issued a request for proposals June 30 and received four submissions by July 31. A Transportation Department evaluation committee ranked Kimley-Horn first with a score of 86, followed by Kittelson & Associates Inc. at 84.67, Cambridge Systematics Inc. at 78.58 and Fehr & Peers at 76.
Staff cited Kimley-Horn’s technical proposal, regional experience and familiarity with the City in recommending the firm. According to the report, the company has completed more than 130 projects within the city, including Rose Bowl event traffic and parking studies, safety studies and work on the city’s Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility.
The report also states that local preference was considered during the evaluation and identifies Kimley-Horn’s recently established Pasadena office.
The consulting team would include Arellano Associates, which would support community outreach, and AimTD LLC, a traffic data collection firm. Both have previously worked with the Transportation Department, according to staff.
The advisory committee would include representatives of community organizations, disadvantaged neighborhoods and local businesses, along with stakeholders such as the Rose Bowl Operating Co., Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, Kidspace Children’s Museum and Arroyo One Foundation.
Broader outreach would include community workshops, pop-up events, a project website, online and physical feedback tools, and targeted engagement with community organizations.
Transportation officials said the plan supports city goals involving mobility, accessibility, sustainability and quality of life. It also aligns with policies promoting bicycle infrastructure, secure bicycle parking, alternatives to driving and pedestrian and bicycle safety education.
Staff is asking the council to authorize the contract and allow the City Manager to approve amendments that do not increase its cost, including extensions.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
