Pasadena Plans to Open New Union Street Bike Lane on September 9

Pasadena plans to celebrate the opening of the new Union Street Protected Bikeway project on Sept. 9, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of City Hall. 

The event will launch the 1.5-mile two-way protected bike lane along Union Street, spanning Arroyo Parkway to Hill Ave., and a 0.3-mile bike boulevard along Holliston Ave. between Union Street and Cordova Street. 

According to the City, the protected bike lane will provide a safer place for bicyclists to ride. It will also ease connections to various districts in Pasadena, including the Playhouse District, the Central District, and Old Pasadena.

The ceremony on Sept. 9 will mark the project’s completion. Construction started in late June. 

Joaquin Siques, Pasadena’s Deputy Transportation Director, said the ceremony will be followed by a bike ride led by City officials and local dignitaries. 

“That’ll start at City Hall in front of City Hall there in Centennial Square, which is Garfield North at Union,” Siques said. “And then anybody who would like to ride their bike could go east on Union to Playhouse Village Park where they could either turn around or visit the park, or continue if they would like to go to any of the other restaurants or shops that are open that morning.” 

The bike lane is on the south side of Union Street and it is separated from car traffic by a curb, making it safer for bikers. The bike lane also connects to important places in the city, such as Pasadena City College and Caltech.

With the new Union Street Two-Way Protected Bikeway Project open, City officials have said they hope more people will want to ride bikes in Pasadena. 

“We are constantly working with the different bicycle advocacy groups to get their feedback on this, not only through the design but also as we open up and implement,” Siques adds. “So if there’s any concerns, that’s something that we’d like to hear from them so we can address those concerns if there’s anything that needs to be addressed.” 

A grant from the state of California paid for the new Union Street Two-Way Protected Bikeway Project. When it was proposed in 2015, the project received a recommendation for $2.7 million in grants. It got a total of $5.6 million from the state in 2021, out of the total estimated project cost of roughly $6 million.

During opening day, the city plans to organize a resource fair where a Pasadena transit bus will be onsite so people can see how to put a bike on bike racks that will be set up near bus stops in the city. 

Siques said the Transportation Department had diligently studied traffic flow on Union Street, and found that the new bike lane will not negatively impact the flow of traffic. He added there are no new rules or penalties for bicyclists or motorists in Pasadena with the bike lane’s opening, but urged motorists to park only in designated spaces and not in the bike lane.

“The operation of the bicycle is the same as it has been in the state, so there’s no new rules or penalties,” he said. “But since it’s new to Pasadena, we just want to make people aware of the new conditions. So any existing penalties that are applicable to bike facilities would still be applicable here.” 

By providing a safe and comfortable infrastructure for cyclists of all ages and abilities, the city hopes the project will encourage more people to consider biking as a means of getting around, reducing congestion and promoting a healthier and more sustainable transportation option.