Pasadena broke ground on a $6.8 million project to rebuild nine medians along Sierra Madre Boulevard with stormwater-capture infrastructure and drought-tolerant landscaping.
The city's Public Works Department held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Sierra Madre Boulevard Median Enhancements project on Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to a city social media post. Elected officials and Public Works employees posed with ceremonial shovels and hard hats at the site.
The project stretches about 1.25 miles from Michillinda Avenue to East Washington Boulevard. Crews will tear out dead grass and aging irrigation systems and replace them with native shrubs, groundcover and new shade trees. The plan is detailed in a city council agenda report submitted by Director of Public Works Greg De Vinck and prepared by City Engineer Brent Maue.
Workers will also install bioswales, bioretention areas, dry rock beds and drywells to capture and filter runoff, Colorado Boulevard reported. The stormwater features aim to reduce dry-weather bacteria and filter wet-weather pollutants such as zinc and trash, and divert flows for groundwater recharge.
The medians sit on a former Pacific Electric railway corridor. The agenda report notes that undocumented subsurface conditions, including abandoned rail infrastructure and buried foundations, may exist underground.
Tree removal drew resident pushback
The plan calls for removing 44 mature trees and adding more than 700 new plantings. The removed trees are primarily non-native ornamental species, including silk floss and crown of gold trees, according to the agenda report. None are designated heritage trees. The city's Urban Forestry Advisory Committee supported the removals in September 2024.
Before the Pasadena City Council approved the contract on July 20, residents questioned whether the project applied the same tree-preservation standards used elsewhere in the city, Colorado Boulevard reported. Some argued that replacement plantings could take years to match the canopy coverage of the mature trees.
Opponents raised wildfire concerns about the proposed vegetation in an area subject to Santa Ana winds. Some questioned whether the Pasadena Fire Department or additional review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) should have been completed first. Supporters of preserving more trees suggested narrower bioswales or different plant selections could have reduced removals while still meeting stormwater goals.
Contract and funding
The City Council authorized a contract with Superb Engineering for a base amount of $5,761,752 plus a 10 percent contingency of $576,175, totaling $6,337,927. The total project cost, including other expenses, is $6,787,927, according to the agenda report.
The project carries no General Fund impact. It is funded entirely through Measure W Local Return Funds and a Caltrans State Highway Operation and Protection Program stormwater mitigation grant.
Superb Engineering submitted the lowest of three bids on April 15. Its bid came in about 25 percent below the engineer's estimate of $7.27 million. The contractor had not previously performed work for the city.
Tournament of Roses staff were consulted during the design process. Representatives confirmed that the project is not expected to affect Rose Parade Floatfest operations, and construction will be scheduled to avoid conflicts with annual Tournament of Roses events, the agenda report states. Construction is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
