Colorado Boulevard will be transformed from one of Pasadena’s busiest traffic corridors into a pedestrian promenade this fall under a $500,000 Metro-funded Open Streets event that city leaders hope will preview how residents and visitors will move around during the 2028 Olympic Games.
The Pasadena City Council voted Monday to accept the Metro Open and Slow Streets Cycle 6 grant, approve a $330,000 contract with nonprofit CicLAvia Inc. to organize the event and authorize the city’s required $240,000 local funding match.
The event, now scheduled for November after construction along Metro’s North Hollywood-to-Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit project made a summer event impractical, will temporarily close portions of Colorado Boulevard and Raymond Avenue to vehicle traffic.
A Sunday event was selected to minimize traffic impacts while encouraging visitors to explore local businesses.
Metro awarded Pasadena the maximum available Cycle 6 grant after the city successfully applied for funding in both Cycle 6 and Cycle 7 of the regional Open Streets program.
The city also received a Cycle 7 grant to support a second event planned for 2028, which will return to the City Council for approval at a later date.
The proposed route stretches along Colorado Boulevard from DeLacey Avenue to Bonnie Avenue and along Raymond Avenue between Walnut Street and Del Mar Avenue, creating a continuous car-free corridor linking Old Pasadena, Playhouse Village, South Lake Avenue and the Memorial Park and Del Mar A Line stations.
A companion Slow Streets route or guided bicycle and walking tour is also planned between Memorial Park Station and the Rose Bowl, further connecting participants with Pasadena destinations while encouraging alternative modes of transportation.
Open Streets events temporarily close roadways to automobiles, allowing people to walk, bike, roll and participate in community activities in spaces normally dominated by traffic. City officials said the events increase foot traffic for local businesses, encourage active transportation and showcase public transit options.
The estimated cost of the event is $740,000. Metro will provide $500,000 through the grant program, while Pasadena will contribute the required $240,000 local match using a combination of Transportation Development Act Article 3 funds and reallocated transportation and General Fund dollars.
Grant funding will cover CicLAvia’s event management services as well as city staffing, traffic control, public safety operations and other event-related expenses.
Officials said the November event will also serve as a large-scale rehearsal for transportation planning, crowd management and public safety operations ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when the Rose Bowl is expected to host Olympic competition.
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