Pasadena is developing walking, bicycling and accessibility improvements near Memorial Park Station with support from a $7.17 million Metro grant, aiming to strengthen connections toward the Rose Bowl.

The Pasadena Rose Bowl Multimodal Olympic Route Project would add bike lanes, wider sidewalks, better crossings and new wayfinding signs along a corridor stretching from Holly Street to Rosemont Avenue. The city is holding a community information session on Nov. 19 where residents can weigh in on proposed safety improvements, according to the city's project page.

Spanish interpretation, refreshments and kids' activities will be available.

What the project covers

The route starts at Memorial Park Station on Holly Street, heads west toward Pasadena Avenue, continues north to Walnut Street, then west to Orange Grove Boulevard and north to Rosemont Avenue. Grant funding requirements limit the project to a half-mile radius from the Memorial Park Station area, according to the city.

Potential improvements listed on the project page include:

  • Class II, III and IV bicycle facilities
  • ADA curb ramps and sidewalk upgrades
  • Curb extensions and enhanced pedestrian crossings
  • Traffic signal improvements and signal timing for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Protected bicycle intersections
  • Wayfinding signage to key destinations and transit connections

Why it matters

The Rose Bowl is a 2028 Olympic Games venue. LA Metro awarded Pasadena the $7.17 million in September 2025 through Cycle 2 of its Measure M Active Transport and First/Last Mile Program. The funds will help advance the project through design and construction, according to the city.

The city describes the work as more than an Olympics preparation. The project page states it is "also a legacy investment designed to permanently improve transportation connections to the Rose Bowl, the Aquatics Center, and Brookside Park for daily users."

In 2022, LA Metro conducted a high-level access analysis around major Olympic and Paralympic venues to identify opportunities to improve first- and last-mile connections to high-quality transit. Metro then worked with venue cities, including Pasadena, to refine recommendations and identify 2028 Games High-Value Corridors for further development.

Safety context

The project comes as Pasadena works to reduce traffic deaths. The City Council adopted a Focused Local Roadway Safety Action Plan in October 2025, setting a goal of zero roadway fatalities by 2035, according to a memo from Joaquin T. Siques, the city's director of transportation, to the Transportation Advisory Commission. That plan also designated a network of safety corridors where the city can lower speed limits by an additional 5 mph under state Assembly Bill 43.

The same memo reported 97 pedestrian and 50 bicycle injury and fatal collisions in 2025.

How to participate

The community information session is Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St. Memorial Park Metro Station is a five-minute walk away. For accessibility accommodations, the city asks residents to contact (626) 744-7311 or [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance.