Pasadena repaves Los Robles, Fair Oaks starting Thursday

Pasadena crews will start grinding and repaving stretches of Fair Oaks Avenue and Los Robles Avenue on Thursday, bringing lane closures and temporary no-parking zones to two of the city's busiest corridors.

Contractor Hardy & Harper, Inc. will resurface about 1.27 miles of roadway under a $1.17 million contract the city awarded Aug. 24, Colorado Boulevard reported. The work covers Fair Oaks Avenue between Washington Boulevard and Mountain Street, and Los Robles Avenue between Washington Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard.

The city's tentative schedule calls for paving on Fair Oaks on Thursday, Nov. 12, and Friday, Nov. 13, followed by Los Robles on Monday, Nov. 16, through Wednesday, Nov. 18. Final striping, utility adjustments and other finishing work are planned for Nov. 19 through Nov. 25.

Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should expect lane restrictions, no-parking zones and possible delays. The city says dates could shift because of weather or unexpected field conditions.

More than fresh asphalt

Beyond repaving, the project includes repairs to damaged sidewalks, curbs, gutters and driveway entrances. Crews will also upgrade curb ramps to meet federal accessibility standards. Other work may include adjusting utility manholes, replacing traffic-signal detectors and installing pavement markers.

The project is part of the city's Fiscal Year 2027 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Street Resurfacing and ADA Improvement Project. It draws on $1,125,000 in federal CDBG funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with additional funding from the state's Senate Bill 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program, according to Pasadena Now. The total project cost is $1,318,100, including $30,000 for construction administration, testing and inspection.

Pasadena Now reported that the agenda report states there is no impact on the city's General Fund.

Contract and bidding

Hardy & Harper, based in Lake Forest, submitted the lowest of five bids at $1,171,000, Pasadena Now reported. That came in about 2.4% below the $1.2 million engineer's estimate. With a 10% contingency, the contract has a not-to-exceed amount of $1,288,100. None of the five bidders were local firms, according to Pasadena Now.

Why these streets

A January 2025 Priority Needs Survey conducted as part of the city's five-year consolidated housing plan identified "improve city infrastructure" as the second-highest community priority, according to the city's project page. That category includes street, sidewalk, lighting and accessibility improvements.

A separate March 2026 city audit found that 216 of Pasadena's 357 miles of streets need paving and another 75 miles need maintenance. Funding levels remained below a 2019 consultant recommendation of about $13.6 million per year, the audit said, raising the risk of faster street deterioration.