Great news!
Due to a meeting between local Pasadena residents, local organizations (Caltech Bike Lab, PCC Bike Club, BikeSGV, C.I.C.L.E., Downtown Pasadena Neighborhood Association) and several officials from the City of Pasadena, the City Council has finally listened to our complaints that the Pasadena Bike Plan was too weak to properly protect bicyclists. The meeting was a response to the recent tragic death of a bicyclist along Del Mar Blvd just north of Caltech campus earlier last month and as a result a Pasadena Complete Streets Community Coalition has been formed to push for safer streets' that are friendlier for everyone -- pedestrians and bicyclists as well as cars. The City Council sent back the Pasadena Bike Plan to the drawing board asking staff to add protected/separated bike lanes to the plan, make it "more ambitious", "we'll fund it". Current conditions are widely acknowledged to be unsafe and sharrows are not sufficient to protect bicyclists. It's the first step in the right direction for the city and we are REALLY excited about it. Many thanks to City Councilmembers Terry Tornek and Margaret McAustin who helped make this happen.  |
| One example of a bike lane protected by street parking (Long Beach, CA) |
Pasadena bike plan sent back to the drawing board: City Council directs staff to make 'bolder' plan after community input (Pasadena Star News)
Starting from the death on Del Mar Blvd, local residents and organizations got to work, asking the city to make it streets safer. Here's a full chronology of events
Local blogger Boyonabike has been covering the story:
Something Happening Here (on the local meeting with city officials and residents)
A Sea Change (on the city council decision)
Want to help out? Caltech Bike Lab has asked for better east west bike routes in Pasadena, including on Del Mar Blvd, in the petition we started last year that is still taking signatures.
Please add your name to the petition (we have over 780 so far).
You can also get on the Pasadena Complete Streets Community Coalition mailing list here!
We will be working to recommend specific complete streets strategies and policies to the Bike Plan committee. Our next meeting should be in August.
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We also want to say welcome to our new office hour volunteers Reeve, Sho, Troy and Chris! See the sidebar for the new schedule :)
