Bike Lanes … Installed!

Halstead bike lanes provide connectivity to transit at Sierra Madre Villa station.

A sure sign of transportation nerdiness is getting excited about bike lanes.  But that little bit of paint increases safety and helps encourage more people to use a bike for transportation.  In so doing bike lanes become part of the solution to problems as diverse as air pollution, traffic and parking congestion, and climate change.  It’s a little thing, but it is an important step in the right direction.

Back when I started this modest little blog in 2012, my very first post called for bike lanes on N. Halstead Street in Pasadena.  As I noted at the time, it is a primary bike route providing “first mile – last mile” connectivity to the Sierra Madre Villa Gold Line station, has plenty of off-street parking, meaning some on-street parking could be removed to make room for bike lanes.  Since then, I’ve periodically bugged folks at Pasadena DOT about this route, making myself something of a pest, I am sure.  More importantly, the efforts of the good people at the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition, who have provided DOT with input on Pasadena’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure needs, have played a central role in getting improvements like these implemented.  To its credit, someone at DOT is paying attention.

Parking removed to make room for buffered bike lanes on northbound Halstead.

I happened upon the restriping of Halstead the other day, and to my pleasant surprise, DOT had instructed the Department of Public Works to install bike lanes.  Better yet, they’re buffered bike lanes, which give people on bikes a couple of feet of painted buffer zone separating them from automobile traffic.  Such a setup provides a little more space, and thus comfort when riding next to traffic.  These buffered lanes will connect riders between Rosemead Blvd and the Sierra Madre Villa station.

These lanes are the first new lanes in Pasadena that connect directly with a Gold Line station and they will enable more people to comfortably bike to and from the station.  When we combine a network of bikeable streets with transit, we create sustainable mobility choices for more people.

Halstead bike lanes connect bike lanes on N. Rosemead and the Sierra Madre Villa station.

In the past, when Pasadena DOT has dropped the ball, I’ve been quick to call them on it.  Now, when they come through, I gladly give them props.  Thanks Pasadena DOT!!  Special thanks to Rich Dilluvio, who stayed true to his word on these bike lanes.

PasDPW workers put finishing touches on the Halstead bike lanes.

Now, if we can get some buffered lanes on Sierra Madre Blvd ….  On Rosemead Blvd ….  On ….

Single Post Navigation

← Older Entry

Newer Entry →