On June 12, 2025, the City of Pasadena awarded the Installation of pedestrian improvements along Allen Avenue between Walnut Street and Corson Street. The construction is scheduled to commence January 2026 through June 2026.
Description:
Construction is set to begin in January 2026. The proposed improvements consist of pedestrian enhancements along Allen Avenue between Walnut Street and Corson Street, with a focus on improving safety and accessibility for users of the Metro A Line Allen Station. Planned work includes sidewalk widening north of Walnut Street, installation of a pedestrian hybrid beacon at Locus Street and traffic signal hardware upgrades at existing signals to improve operations. Other planned work consists of construction of curb extensions and bulb-outs to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and modifications to pavement striping and signage to support traffic calming and pedestrian safety.
The project will enhance walkability, promote transit connectivity, and integrate complete streets elements to support multimodal transportation.
Justification:
Allen Avenue serves as a key north-south corridor providing access to the Metro A Line Allen Station and adjacent residential and commercial areas. The project addresses pedestrian safety concerns by reducing crossing distances, improving visibility, and calming traffic through geometric modifications. These improvements are consistent with the City’s Mobility Element, which emphasizes transit-oriented development and multimodal access. Additionally, the pedestrian hybrid beacon at Locust Street provides a controlled crossing point to accommodate high pedestrian demand and improve connectivity.
Environmental Analysis:
On April 2, 2025, City Council found the project herein to be categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines in accordance with Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 19, Section 15301, Class 1, and Section 15303, Class 3. Class 1 consists of minor alterations of existing public facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. Class 3 consists of construction of limited number of new, small facilities or structures. There are no features that distinguish this project from others in the exempt class and, therefore, there are no unusual circumstances.
For additional information, please see the following video from the Federal Highway Administration that explains the use of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons/HAWK Signals as well as Pasadena in Focus: February 2026 from Pasadena Media.
How to Use a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon:
For additional information, please see the following video from the Federal Highway Administration that explains the use of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons/HAWK Signals as well as Pasadena in Focus: February 2026 from Pasadena Media.
Funding:
The proposed project is mostly funded by the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) and 2018 Metro Sustainable Communities Program, with some additional funding from the City of Pasadena Traffic Reduction Fee.
Documents:
Allen Avenue Fact Sheet - May 2026
Allen Avenue Fact Sheet - December 2025
Agenda Report - Allen Ave
Contact:
Danica Lauren Alfajora - Project Manager
Elvin Jiang - Project Manager
Please contact the Public Works Street Lights and Traffic Signals Division at (626) 744-3885 or dalfajora@cityofpasadena.net