Pasadena Seeks Public Input on St. John and Pasadena Avenue Street Improvements

Pasadena will hold two community meetings, one on Oct. 29 and another Nov. 4, on proposed street-safety improvements along Pasadena and St. John avenues. No final design has yet been selected.

City transportation officials are examining approximately 1.8 miles of roadway between Walnut and Columbia streets, including connecting cross streets. The project aims to improve safety and access for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders while strengthening connections to nearby neighborhoods and destinations.

According to the Pasadena Department of Transportation, an in-person meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center at Maranatha High School, 169 S. St. John Ave. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation, refreshments and a children’s activity station will be available.

A second meeting will take place virtually Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Participants can join through the link on the city’s project webpage or call (213) 338-8477 using meeting ID 856 0537 7891. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation will also be available.

The Transportation Department is studying possible improvements to traffic signals, intersections, sidewalks, accessibility features, bicycle facilities and transit connections. Traffic-calming measures and streetscape enhancements are also under consideration.

The department emphasizes that these proposals are preliminary. Community feedback will help officials evaluate alternatives, identify a preferred design and advance the project through preliminary engineering and environmental review.

The current effort builds on community planning conducted in 2022 around the former State Route 710 northern stub. According to the city, earlier participants identified speeding, pedestrian and bicycle safety, accessibility and better transit connections as priorities.

Funding comes from Los Angeles Metro’s Measure R Mobility Improvement Program. Pasadena’s capital improvement program appropriated $75.1 million for planning, design and construction, according to city budget records.

In November, the City Council authorized a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. for engineering and design services, with a maximum value of $4,848,630. That authorization covered professional design work, not approval of a final street layout.

City records indicate that the project is intended to maintain the existing number of through traffic lanes while improving safety and mobility along the corridor.

The upcoming meetings will allow residents to comment on those priorities before the city selects a final design.

NEED TO KNOW: Event: Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue Roadway Network Project community meetings. When: Thursday, Oct. 29, and Wednesday, Nov. 4. Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. both days. Where: Maranatha High School Student Center, 169 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena, on Oct. 29; online Nov. 4. Online meeting: https://bit.ly/PasadenaStJohn_CM. Meeting ID: 856 0537 7891. Telephone: (213) 338-8477. For more information, visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/transportation/transportation-improvements/pasadena-avenue-and-st-john-avenue-roadway-network-project/.