City Plans ‘Donut’-Prevention Curb at Lincoln and Orange Grove Intersection

The Pasadena Department of Transportation plans to install a raised-curb treatment at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard that Councilmember Justin L. Jones’ District 3 office describes as “donut”-prevention — a reference to drivers spinning their cars in tight circles in intersections — according to his District 3 newsletter, which said the office had received resident inquiries about the project.

The pilot is a plastic raised curb — known as left-turn hardening, or a hardened centerline treatment — placed along an intersection’s centerline to force drivers into slower, tighter left turns. The newsletter said installation is anticipated toward the end of the summer but gave no specific date.

Raised centerline devices have been used elsewhere in Southern California specifically to disrupt “street takeovers,” the late-night gatherings in which drivers spin donuts and perform burnouts in blocked intersections. In one Los Angeles County city, officials said such humps made it physically difficult for cars to spin. California laws that took effect in 2025 make it easier for police to arrest sideshow participants and impound vehicles, and Los Angeles County reported this year that takeovers in the areas it patrols fell 53% in early 2026 compared with two years earlier.

The treatment fits within Pasadena’s Safer Streets initiative, the city’s effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries through measures such as traffic calming and protected turns. Some policing experts caution that cracking down in one location can push the activity to neighboring streets.

The intersection is in Council District 3. Residents with questions can contact the District 3 office at (626) 744-4738.