Noche de las Luminarias | Community Organization of the Year | Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition

On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here

The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition was founded in 2013 following the deaths of Alan Deane, Phillip O’Neill, and Jocelyn Young, who were struck and killed by motorists in three separate incidents while riding bicycles on official Pasadena bicycle routes. Since then the all-volunteer group of Pasadena residents and stakeholders has become become a driving force for safe, sustainable mobility in the City of Pasadena guided by a belief that streets are for people to walk, bike, drive, and ride transit. The group’s 3 main goals are to: 1) foster the implementation of Complete Streets projects; 2) reduce the number of pedestrian-automobile and bicycle-automobile collisions that result in serious injury or death; and 3) support the City's Guiding Principle #5 - "Pasadena will be a City where people can safely circulate without cars."

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Ghost bike for Alan Deane on Colorado Blvd (image courtesy of PasCSC)

Over the past four years the community coalition has successfully advocated for a stronger bicycle master plan that calls for the development of a network of protected east-west and north-south bikeways; safer pedestrian and bicycle access to the City’s 6 Foothill Gold Line stations; and the creation of a system of ‘neighborhood greenways’ - traffic-calmed streets that are comfortable for people of all ages to ride a bicycle on - that the City of Pasadena has dubbed ‘Roseways’.  

New Pasadena 'Roseway' Signage

Green paint add to 'conflict zone' on Marengo Ave Class II Bike Lane

In 2014 the coalition also strongly supported Pasadena's adoption of new transportation metrics, urging the City Council (PCC) to bid farewell to auto Level of Service (LOS), a driving force of auto-centric street design for decades across California. In doing so, Pasadena became one of the first cities in California to adopt the more sustainable and people-friendly "Vehicle  Miles Traveled (VMT)" metric. Group organizers also championed reform of parking requirements in transit-oriented neighborhoods to facilitate more multi-modal development in the City's downtown.

Complete Streets are also 'Green' Streets, providing multi-benefits including stormwater capture

In 2017 the group utilized its ‘Complete Streets’ and local transportation organizing experience to support stakeholders and residents of the North Fair Oaks corridor who identified making their street safer and more inviting a major need during a neighborhood community needs assessment process. PasCSC organizers subsequently helped the ‘North Fair Oaks Empowerment’ working group successfully advocate for funds to implement safer crosswalks and install speed feedback signs during the City’s annual “Capital Improvement Program” process.

Made up of a diverse group of local residents of all ages and representatives from Pasadena community groups, the coalition also regularly organizes, participates in, and/or hosts engaging community events, including International Park(ing) Day, Walktober (National Walking Month), Pasadena Bike Month, cicLAvia feeder rides, ghost bike installations, the Pasadena Ride of Silence, and the World Day of Remembrance for victims of traffic violence. Learn more and get involved at www.pasadenaCSC.org or @PasadenaCSC on social media.