Pasadena Previews Greenways Traffic-Calming Plan
Residents reviewed the city's proposal to slow vehicles and improve connections for walking, biking and driving on four north-south corridors.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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Dozens of residents attended a public open house on the Greenways program at the Jefferson Branch Library auditorium. The program aims to slow vehicle speeds and improve connections for people walking, biking and driving, with Craig Avenue first in line for a temporary demonstration.
Why it matters
The project is intended to make neighborhood streets safer by slowing vehicle speeds and giving residents more ways to get around Pasadena without relying exclusively on automobiles. Resident feedback from the demonstration could shape the final design.
The Craig Avenue route spans about 1.2 miles, and the Greenways initiative covers four north-south corridors: Craig, Wilson, Sierra Bonita and El Molino avenues. Final treatments have not yet been selected, and the outcome of the temporary demonstration is still unknown.
The players
Pasadena Department of Transportation
The city agency responsible for planning, operating and improving Pasadena's streets, transit and bicycle infrastructure.
Jefferson Branch Library
A branch of the Pasadena Public Library system that hosted the public open house on the Greenways program.
The details
The Department of Transportation is using temporary materials, including paint and plastic features, to test traffic-calming treatments before permanent decisions. The Greenways program does not primarily involve planting trees, creating conventional bicycle lanes or installing continuous bike lanes along every corridor.
Timeline
Thursday evening, before November 14, 2026: Public open house held at Jefferson Branch Library.
Spring 2027: Craig Avenue temporary traffic-calming demonstration targeted.
Through 2027: Broader Greenways design process continues.
2028 to 2029: Final design and construction of Greenways expected to extend.
Roadmap
The Greenways corridors were first identified as potential connections in Pasadena's Bicycle Transportation Action Plan, and the current demonstration moves that concept toward physical street changes. The program's emphasis on speed tables, curb extensions and traffic circles reflects a traffic-calming approach rather than the bike-lane-focused designs the plan's name might suggest.
Residents along Craig Avenue, between Paloma Street and Del Mar Boulevard, will experience temporary traffic-calming changes during the demonstration and can submit feedback that may influence the final design. Drivers on the four Greenways corridors could encounter slower speeds and new crossing and curb layouts as the city tests treatments.
The takeaway
Residents who want a say in how their streets change can weigh in during the demonstration period, since the temporary features are meant to be tested and adjusted before any permanent design is chosen. Following the Craig Avenue pilot offers a preview of how the other Greenways corridors may be treated.
What happens next
The Craig Avenue temporary traffic-calming demonstration is targeted for Spring 2027, and the broader design process continues through 2027.
Further reading
Explore more local civic coverage in the Civic Engagement section for Pasadena.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pasadena Now.
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