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Public Works staff outlines street projects, ITS corridor work, ADA ramps and Mission Street redesign status
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Summary
Public Works staff told the Feb. 18 Mobility and Transportation Infrastructure Commission that the department will split a consolidated 2019–2020 street-improvements package into bid-ready projects, is about to start ADA-ramp construction on Meridian, and is advancing an ITS North–South Corridor design while coordinating Columbia–Fair Oaks work with Pasadena.
Public Works staff presented a project-status update Feb. 18 and highlighted several construction and design projects likely to affect streets, sidewalks and traffic operations over the next two years.
Ted, the department’s project lead, opened the status report by describing a consolidated "street improvements" package made up of projects on the city’s 2019–2020 list (streets cited by staff included Arroyo Verde, Edgewood, Milan, Glendon Way, Maple and streets south of Monterey). He said those designs proved complex because of tree issues, damaged underground utilities and a railroad crossing on one route. "We found there was a lot of ancillary work under the street," he said, and added that the water component originally budgeted at roughly $2 million for some sites now looks more like $3–4 million because of unexpected underground repairs.
Staff said the city intends to split the consolidated project into separate, bid-ready projects during the next CIP cycle so individual streets and zones can be constructed more efficiently. The package also includes a separate slurry-seal bid with alternatives so the city can adapt to final funding levels.
Meridian ADA ramps: Staff confirmed the ADA-ramp contract has been awarded and a construction kickoff is imminent. "You should be seeing construction commence on Meridian Avenue for those ADA ramps very soon," Ted said. Staff said the contract includes additional ramp work at other locations if change orders or remaining funds allow.
Columbia Street / Fair Oaks coordination: Ted said South Pasadena’s Rogan-funded project to change Columbia and Fair Oaks striping and signal timing must be coordinated with a larger Pasadena project. Pasadena’s delivery timeline is later (staff cited a rough 2027–28 window for Pasadena while South Pasadena’s federal grant requires completion by mid-2027). Ted said staff will coordinate the Columbia–Fair Oaks intersection work so South Pasadena’s earlier project and Pasadena’s later project align at the shared boundary.
North–South Corridor ITS: The North–South Corridor Intelligent Transportation Systems deployment project is in environmental and scope refinement, Ted said. Staff expects to advance design over the next month and use the corridor working group for early community input.
Speed feedback signs and citywide engineering (speed-limit) study: Staff said the city already has four speed-feedback signs (two on Huntington Drive and two on Fremont) and expected in-house installation within about a month. The city also selected a consultant for a citywide engineering study of speed limits, which staff said updates the technical basis for enforceable speed limits under recent state guidance. Staff noted the typical per-location cost for a formal engineering speed evaluation is modest (staff cited approximately $500 per location as a point of comparison) but emphasized the formal study requires a traffic-engineer evaluation and a prescribed data collection process.
Mission Street redesign: Staff said a major redesign of Mission Street has been re-scoped from a short-term demonstration to a potential permanent installation. The design contract was restarted under a new consultant project lead, and staff is awaiting results of modeling that will be presented to the commission in a future meeting. Construction funding for a permanent Mission Street rebuild has not been identified, Ted said: "We have funding to do that design work. We have not, as a city, identified funding to actually construct that project."
Neighborhood Traffic Management Program and other items: Staff said they will bring the modified neighborhood traffic management program to the new Public Works Infrastructure Commission for advisement. Staff also reported selection of a consultant for a citywide engineering study of speed limits and said the program manager and CIP staff are meeting regularly to track the fifty-plus CIP projects now underway.
Potholes and service requests: Commissioners raised immediate operational concerns such as potholes and recurring damage on Orange Grove near the I-110 interchange. Ted said the department performs proactive passes and relies on resident reports; the department tracks each pothole filled and offered reporting options by phone, email and the city app (phone: (626) 403-7370; email: pwservicerequests@southpasadenaca.gov).
Votes at a glance: Commissioners approved the minutes of Dec. 17, 2024, as edited. The transcript records a voice vote and at least one abstention; the mover and seconder of the motion are not specified in the transcript.
Why it matters: The status update shows which projects staff expects to advance to design or construction in 2025–2027, highlights coordination needs with neighboring cities on key corridors and makes clear where funding constraints remain (notably for Mission Street and some zone reconstructions). Residents should expect near-term ADA ramp work on Meridian, localized slurry and reconstruction work within the 2019–2020 streets list, and installation of speed-feedback signs on Huntington Drive and Fremont.
