Council Gives Wish List of Transportation Projects A Final Going Over Before Mayor Takes to Metro

The Pasadena City Council will be asked Monday to authorize Mayor Victor Gordo to submit a project list to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority officially requesting Measure R Mobility Improvement Project funding for a wish list of projects in lieu of the Metro L Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard.

The project list has passed through several commissions for review after the City Council decided not to pursue the grade separation project because the expected costs of the project, which could take at least four years to complete, far outweigh the projected benefits.  

On Sept. 13, the Municipal Services Committee voted unanimously to approve a motion to accept the recommendation from the Department of Public Works allowing the new project list to proceed to the City Council.

The list includes 19 projects, 11 of which are considered “top priority.” These 11 include Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue Roadway Network, Avenue 64 Complete Street Program, Transportation Operations and Maintenance Facility, Columbia Street., Orange Grove Blvd. at Colorado Blvd. and Orange Grove Blvd. at Holly Street., San Rafael Ave., Gold Line At-Grade Crossing Enhancements, Continental Crosswalks, Orange Grove Mobility Improvement Program, Greenways, and SR710/SR134/l-210 Ramp Modifications.

City staff said these projects are prioritized based on “multimodal connectivity and safety, project need, proximity to SR 710 corridor and project readiness/implementation timeline.”

Last week, the Municipal Services Committee also directed the Public Works Department to follow up on developing a work plan for an Arroyo Link feasibility study which considers options to reduce the potential project costs, and a work plan to identify walkability for the Metro L Line at grade crossings of California Blvd. and Del Mar Blvd. as well as the Metro L Line Fillmore Station and Del Mar Station. 

These work plans, and their funding options, will be presented as part of the annual Capital Improvement Program development for 2024, the Public Works Department said.

Metro had earlier allocated a total of $230.5 million to Pasadena as part of Measure R funding to be used to complete the environmental study, design, right-of-way acquisitions, and construction of the Metro L (Gold) Line Grade Separation project.

With the overpass/grade separation project canceled, the new project list has to be submitted to Metro to reallocate $230.5 million funding.