North Lake Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the City of Pasadena and is heavily used by drivers, buses, and pedestrians, connecting North Pasadena and Altadena to central Pasadena, including the Interstate 210 Freeway and the Metro A Line. The corridor consists of two travel lanes in each direction, with a two-way left-turn lane or a raised median in the center. It carries an average weekday daily vehicle volume of around 36,800. A few intersections along the corridor are among those with the highest collision frequencies in the City of Pasadena.
From 2020 through 2021, the City of Pasadena conducted a Safety Enhancement Corridor Study (Corridor Study) for North Lake Avenue, spanning from Mountain Street to Maple Street. The Corridor Study incorporated public and stakeholder input to evaluate safety and connectivity along Lake Avenue, resulting in the development of a concept design for community-supported improvements along the corridor. In 2023, the City was awarded an Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 6 Grant to fund the final design and construction of the Project.
The primary goal of this phase of the Lake Avenue Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Project (Project) is to re-engage the community and continue to build awareness and education around the Project. This phase of the Project also includes opportunities for the community to provide comments and for the City to share the Project’s benefits, including how the corridor will be safer and more accessible for everyone, and to inform the community of the next steps leading into construction.
Project Map
Project Updates
Subscribe to receive project updates
Community Outreach
Upcoming
Project Co-Benefits
Project Design
In the initial Project phase from 2020 to 2021, community feedback guided the development of the Conceptual Plan for the corridor as part of the Corridor Study. Multiple design options were evaluated and, after careful review, the proposed conceptual design was identified to move forward into final engineering and construction.
The conceptual renderings below illustrate the proposed design. Existing conditions are shown along with the proposed improvements and enhancements. The Final Conceptual Plan also shows the City’s planned improvements along the corridor, which can be found under “Project Background” below.
Project Learning Hub
Traffic and Pedestrian Treatments and How They Improve Safety and Roadway Experience
Anticipated Outreach Timeline
Project Background
The North Lake Avenue Safety Enhancement Corridor Study (Corridor Study), which took place during 2020-2021, was programmed by the City of Pasadena to focus on enhancing traffic and pedestrian safety along North Lake Avenue between Maple and Mountain Streets, a 0.6-mile-long corridor. The focus of the Corridor Study was to identify concerns and opportunities to enhance traffic and walkability along the corridor. The Project team analyzed existing conditions of the corridor, including examining and analyzing roadway characteristics, traffic volumes, and collisions, and conducted robust community engagement and outreach to drive the study findings. Pasadena stakeholders had multiple opportunities to share their concerns about traffic safety, voice their desired improvements, and provide feedback on the concept designs.
Public engagement included a survey, a community workshop, and three virtual concept design workshops. The Corridor Study incorporated public and stakeholder input to evaluate safety and connectivity along Lake Avenue, resulting in the development of a concept design for community-supported improvements along the corridor.
In 2023, the City was awarded an Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 6 Grant to fund the final design and construction of the Project, as shown in the below graphic.
Use tools to zoom and pan map for more detail or open in a separate window
Current Conditions
The below aerial video shows the current conditions of the Project corridor
Department Lead and Funding
Caltrans administers competitive statewide grant programs, such as the Active Transportation Program (ATP), to fund projects that improve walking, biking, and other alternative mobility modes across the state. In 2023, the City of Pasadena Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarded an ATP Cycle 6 Grant for $9.9 million to fund the final design and construction of the Project. The ATP increases the use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking, and improves safety and mobility for non-motorized users, helps regional agencies achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, enhances public health, ensures that disadvantaged communities fully share in program benefits, and provides a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users. For more information regarding the ATP, please go to Active Transportation Program (ATP) - Cycles 1-6 | Caltrans.
Community Outreach Activities and Meetings
The City of Pasadena is committed to community collaboration and will provide multiple opportunities for engagement throughout this phase of the Project. Opportunities will be posted here on how to participate in the Lake Avenue Traffic and Safety Enhancement Project. Stay updated by subscribing to Project updates and checking the Project website.
FAQs
The primary goal of this phase of the Lake Avenue Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Project (Project) is to re-engage the community and continue to build awareness and education around the Project. This phase of the Project also includes opportunities for the community to provide comments and for the City to share the Project’s benefits, including how the corridor will be safer and more accessible for all everyone, and to inform the community of the next steps leading into construction.
During the development of the Corridor Study during 2020-2021, the City and Project Team engaged with Pasadena stakeholders to understand concerns about traffic safety and create a platform for the community to voice their desired improvements and provide feedback on the concept designs.
Public engagement included a survey, a community workshop, and three virtual concept design workshops.
The City will provide several opportunities for the community to learn about the project and stay involved throughout the Project. Stay tuned for more information and details!
- Educational Campaign: A multimedia campaign will bring project information to the community through a social media campaign and temporary signage along the corridor with digital tools like QR codes that link to Project website..
- Pop-Up Events: The City will host a number of interactive pop-up events along the corridor. Pop-up events aim to engage the local business, community, and general public through partnerships and collaborations. These casual, on-the-ground activities will “meet people where they are” and give residents a chance to learn more about the Project.
- Interested Parties Outreach: The City will engage with key interested parties who are directly adjacent to the corridor and/or have a direct stake in the project to understand concerns, answer questions, and share project updates.
The core design for the Project has already been established and approved as part of the City’s successful application of State funding through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 6 grant. Because this grant award is tied to the concept design (which was ultimately shaped by community feedback) that was submitted, the fundamental aspects of the project cannot be changed at this stage.
However, the City values community participation and has built-in opportunities during this phase to continue to increase project awareness and transparency of the process. This phase will also keep the public informed on next steps as the Project moves into construction.
The Project’s final design is anticipated to be completed in 2026, incorporating technical studies and community feedback where appropriate. Following final design, the Project is scheduled to move into construction beginning in 2027, bringing long-planned safety improvements and enhancements to the corridor.
This Project is being closely coordinated with several ongoing studies across the City of Pasadena’s various departments. While each project has its own goals and timeline, City departments are working collaboratively to ensure that planning, design, and community engagement efforts are connected across initiatives. This coordination helps to avoid duplication of efforts, support consistent recommendations, and ensures that improvements along Lake Avenue fit within broader neighborhood- and corridor-level priorities. Current planning efforts within proximity to the Project include (but are not limited to):
- Boylston Neighborhood Transportation Management Plan (NTMP)
- North Lake Specific Plan
- Mountain Street NTMP Between Lake Avenue and Hill Avenue