Rose Bowl Loop to Remain Open as Long As Guidelines are Followed

If you want the Rose Bowl loop to stay open, comply with the city’s COVID-19 guidelines by wearing a mask and properly socially distancing.

“The Rose Bowl loop is staying open at this point as long as everyone wears face coverings/masks, properly disposes of them, and maintains proper physical distancing,” said Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian.

Last week, city officials reminded more than 70 people at the loop to wear their masks. About 60 signs reminding people to wear masks were taken down or vandalized this week around the popular exercise area, Derderian said.

The city reported its 4,000th case of the virus on Saturday. So far, 4,077 cases have been reported in Pasadena, including more than 200 cases on Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, at Huntington Hospital 68 patients are battling the virus in the hospital, 13 of them in the hospital’s intensive care unit. In April, the hospital had its most COVID-19 patients when 79 people admitted to the hospital were fighting the virus. 

City officials in March were forced to close the 3.1-mile loop around the stadium, a popular walking and running venue, after proper social distancing was not sufficiently maintained.

The loop was eventually reopened to pedestrians but remained closed to vehicular traffic.

Due to rising costs, vehicular traffic was allowed to return to the loop on May 27 after staff reported extra costs associated with closing it, most associated with signage and extra staff, to vehicular traffic caused the price of maintenance to soar from a projected $43,000 a month to a whopping $145,000 a month.

According to a previous staff report, more than 2,000 people typically use the loop daily.