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Council hears emergency traffic, crossing‑guard and speed‑bump plans ahead of junior high opening
Summary
Public safety and public works described temporary and near‑term measures — redirected crossing guard, patrol presence, school‑zone signage, no‑parking windows and rubber speed‑bumps — to manage pedestrian safety when the new junior high opens; staff said roughly $15,000–$17,000 of public‑works funds were being used for immediate traffic control.
City public safety and public works officials told the council they have stepped up temporary traffic and pedestrian safety measures ahead of the new junior high's opening, while longer-term improvements remain dependent on Caltrans and a larger state highway project.
"Our main goals for police and fire is the intersections of Highway 1 and Guadalupe by the cemetery and also at Obispo and 166 Main Street," Chief Cash (Director of Public Safety) said. He said the police department will patrol key crossings and that the school superintendent had agreed to reassign or redirect a crossing guard temporarily to the Obispo/Main intersection while a more permanent solution is developed.
Public Works Director David Trujillo described active short‑term installations: school‑zone marking (green diamonds on approach), an additional three‑way stop at one intersection, painted school crosswalks, temporary no‑parking windows on Manzanita during arrival and dismissal, and rubber speed‑bumps placed on Arroyo Seco and planned for additional streets.
"The public works portion, we are absorbing about 15 to $17,000," Trujillo said when a council member asked about cost. He said that represented an unexpected near‑term expense that consumes a meaningful share of the department's annual budget and that staff had opened discussions with the developer and the school district about cost sharing and reimbursement.
Council and staff repeatedly noted the constraints created by state jurisdiction over Highway 1/State Route 166 and Caltrans' project schedule. Staff summarized a longer timeline for major improvements: Caltrans's Pasadena Highway 166 improvements project includes intersection signalization at Highway 1 and Obispo/166, railroad‑crossing work and ADA sidewalk upgrades, with construction and signal work planned later (staff cited a projected today’s‑cost estimate of about $18.3 million for the overall project). Those state‑led improvements were described as not immediately available before the school's opening.
Staff said the speed‑bumps recently installed are modular rubber devices designed to be fast‑installed and that some other measures (wider asphalt speed cushions or permanent curbwork) may be considered later when funding and permitting allow. Chief Cash said police presence in drop‑off periods and the temporary crossing‑guard reassignment are intended to reduce risk while longer‑term projects proceed.
Several residents and council members raised concerns about a single‑point entry to the Pasadena development and emergency egress if that entrance is compromised. Staff said additional access (e.g., via Flower Street) and planned railroad/roadway bridge work are part of future project phases, but those projects are multi‑agency efforts that will take time.
