City of Pasadena Implements New Safer Streets Measures

Dueto the Safer at Home Order, there are fewercars on the roads potentially traveling at higher speeds and posing a risk toresidents who have taken to walking, running, and biking to stay active. TheCity of Pasadena Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented a number ofstrategies to enhance safety for all road users during the Safer at Home Order.

OnTuesday, DOT staff began placing signage at entrancesto residential neighborhoods throughout the city reminding residents to slowdown for neighbors who may be walking, running, or bicycling in streets ineffort to maintain a safe social distance. Sign deployment will be completedcitywide in May, and signs will be in place until the order is lifted andpublic parks and recreation centers reopen to the public. All local streetswill remain open and accessible to traffic, since there remains a need foressential workers to get to and from work, deliveries to be made, and residentsto make essential trips.

“Roughly500 signs will be installed throughout the city, creating a network of over 100miles of Slow Streets, and we’ll be relying on residents’ feedback to optimizeplacement of these signs,” said Laura Cornejo, director of transportation.

DOTalso launched a Walk Local, Bike Solo cross-channel social media campaign onMonday on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This campaign is managed throughlocal nonprofit organization Day One. This campaign promotesself-guided neighborhood tours, encourages residents to support localrestaurants, and shares COVID-19 health and safety reminders. For moreinformation, visit walklocalbikesolo.com.

Additionally,beginning on Thursday, traffic signal timing along 10 major corridors weremodified to operate in “nighttime mode,” also known as “free mode” operation,all day in an effort to reduce motorist speed and enhance safety. Whenintersections run in nighttime/free operation, traffic is served on afirst-come, first-served principal. Select signals will remain red untiltraffic—whether it be a motorist pedestrian, or bicyclist—approaches theintersection. Once traffic approaches, the signal changes within seconds.Pairing the free operation with rest-in-red will require vehicles to slow downor stop at certain intersections. Modifications to the signal timing to freeoperation all day were implemented along the following city corridors:

1. WashingtonBoulevard – Lincoln Avenue to Allen Avenue.
2. Orange GroveBoulevard – Fair Oaks Avenue to Sierra Madre Boulevard.
3. Walnut Street –Raymond Avenue to Foothill Boulevard.
4. Colorado Boulevard– Allen Avenue to Madre Street.
5. Del Mar Boulevard –Los Robles Avenue to San Gabriel Avenue.
6. Sierra MadreBoulevard – Orange Grove Boulevard to Hastings Ranch Drive.
7. Hill Avenue –Washington Boulevard to California Boulevard.
8. Lake Avenue –Washington Boulevard to Villa Street.
9. Fair Oaks Avenue –Montana Street to Villa Street.
10. Lincoln Avenue –Montana Street to Washington Boulevard.

Followingthe implementation of free operation along these corridors, DOT will determineif this type of signal operation should be extended to other corridors aroundthe city.

“Thisthree-tiered campaign is a reminder that roads are multi-modal and are meant tobe safely shared by all,” said Cornejo. “After it’s implemented, we’ll monitorand modify our efforts as needed.”

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