Pasadena’s Transportation Advisory Commission did not vote on the proposed Roadsign Memorial Sign Program, which seeks to memorialize the victim of a fatal crash while at the same time raising the awareness of traffic safety to motorists, during its meeting on Thursday, April 28.
Instead, it voted to send the proposal back to the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) for some modifications.
The City of Pasadena currently has a Public Monument Policy, which is primarily for the purpose of installing monuments, memorial plaques and the like to commemorate individuals or groups.
But according to Pasadena’s DOT, the Public Monument policy is not well-suited for a pedestrian roadside memorial program because the existing policy requires the request to be approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission, and requires the person memorialized to be deceased for at least five years.
Using the existing Public Monument Policy, a memorial sign was installed in September 2021 as a pilot for Aidan Tam, who was killed in a collision at the intersection of Colorado Blvd. and Hill St. in May 2014.
The proposed Roadsign Memorial Sign Program requires that signs be requested by the family of a victim of a fatal crash through their local Council District office. The request can be made six months after the collision.
The TAC is proposed to be the approval body for placement of memorial signs under the program. Once the proposed installation of a memorial sign is approved by TAC, DOT will determine the specifics of the sign design and location, and work with public works to install the sign.
The city will pay for the cost of the installation. Should the sign require replacement, the cost shall be paid by the requesting family.
Specifically, commissioners requested that the DOT replace TAC as the approving body.
“I would like to change that TAC would be responsible for the signing – who would be getting these signs or not. I just don’t feel that that is something that we should be deciding,” said Commission Chair Adriana Lim.
While the commissioners deferred the voting on DOT’s recommendation, the majority expressed support for the Roadsign Memorial Sign Program.
“It is an important program to recognize these incidents and to honor the memory of these individuals who lost their lives to street violence here in Pasadena,” Commissioner Nick Saponara said. “I think the visual reminder is important.”
“It’s important to have these signs to remind people of the fundamental danger that is there and to honor the lives,” said Commissioner Jessica Bowles-Martinez.
Commissioner Kevin Litwin meanwhile registered his opposition to the project.
“The way to respect the person who lost their life in my opinion is to fix whatever the problem was,” he said.
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