New Detection System Will Create Efficient, Bike-Friendly Corridors
By Gus Herrera
At their regular meeting on Monday, May 16, the Pasadena City Council approved a project to create cyclist-friendly traffic corridors. New bicycle detection systems will be installed at intersections along particular stretches of Washington Boulevard, Altadena Drive, Mountain Street, and Hill Avenue.
At the commencement of the night’s meeting there were two ceremonial matters.
First, Mayor Terry Tornek proclaimed June 2 National Gun Violence Awareness Day, which will honor those whose lives have been cut short due to gun violence and hopefully raise awareness on a sensitive and very relevant issue.
Representatives from the Flintridge Center, the Vision 20/20 Initiative, All Saints Church, and other local groups and organizations were present for the city proclamation. Mayor Tornek urged Pasadena citizens, businesses, organizations, and agencies to make an effort to “work collaboratively to reduce gun violence in our community.”
Just as hunters wear orange to protect themselves against gun fire, citizens are encouraged to wear orange on June 2, in order to symbolize the value of human life.
The second ceremonial matter was another city proclamation – Mayor Tornek proclaimed the week of May 15 to 21 as National Public Works Week for the City of Pasadena.
Ara Maloyan, director of public works, was present to accept the Tornek’s proclamation on behalf of all the hard-working public works employees.
Council spent a brief amount of time on the evening’s consent calendar. Only two items were pulled for deliberation (requested by Councilmember Tyron Hampton), one of which will work make the streets safer and more efficient for cyclists.
Item 2 on the meeting’s agenda, which was approved without any objection, awarded a contract to Crosstown Electrical & Data Inc. for the installation of bicycle detection systems at 38 different traffic-signal-controlled intersections.
According to staff’s report, currently a “significant portion of the city’s traffic signal locations operate on a fixed cycle time regardless of actual traffic demand.” This system creates, “unnecessary delays to motorists and bicyclists.”
Other intersections that are not on fixed cycles, employ loop detection systems. These systems are the round or square outlines you see embedded into street, just before the crosswalk, as your car approaches the intersection.
Loop detection systems operate using magnets to detect large metallic objects above. When an object is detected (i.e. a vehicle rests at a red light), the message is relayed to the traffic control system and the lights change accordingly.
Bicycles are not large enough to be detected by these loop detection systems, thus bikers who approach a red light have to either push the pedestrian button on the sidewalk corner or wait for a car to active the loop detection.
The newly-installed system will be able to recognize cyclists via video detection. When a biker pulls up to the intersection, the pixels within the video detection frame will change, triggering the traffic signal.
The upgraded 38 intersections will aim to create efficient, bike-friendly corridors through the city.
According to city staff’s report, bicycle detection systems will be installed at intersections “on Washington Boulevard from Lincoln Avenue to Allen Avenue, Hill Avenue from California Boulevard to the north city limit, Mountain Street from Lincoln Avenue to Altadena Drive, and Altadena Drive from Foothill Boulevard to the north city limit.”
In addition to the detection systems, the upgrades will also construct new curb ramps and sidewalks, and install new striping and signage.
Councilmembers Hampton and Steve Madison also recommended that the city use this project as an opportunity to assess its education and outreach to the cycling community.
According to staff’s report, the project is consistent with city council’s goals to, “improve maintain, and enhance public facilities and infrastructure,” in addition to supporting the city’s General Plan, “by designing streets to achieve safe interaction for all modes of travel, particularly for pedestrian and bicycle users.”
Bids for this project were submitted to the city on April 27 from four companies. Crosstown Electrical & Data Inc. from Irwindale, was the highest bidder, with an amount of $1.58 million.
Construction will begin in July and is expected to be complete by February 2017.
For more details, visit: http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp.
