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The City Administration will be Closed on:
Monday, February 20, 2012
President's Day Holiday
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Upcoming Events
On Saturday, February 18 at 3:00 PM the Library and the Friends will present author Stephen Rea and his new book "Hollywood Rides a Bike" which pictorially celebrates famous movie stars and their bicycles.
The "all ages" program will also showcase a display of wonderful antique bikes courtesy of actor, writer, and collector Justin Pinchot, a lifetime South Pasadena resident.
Information about the South Pasadena Bike Plan will also be imparted. The Community Room doors open at 2:30 PM and refreshments will be served.
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What is a Bicycle Master Plan? |
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 A Bicycle Master Plan is a comprehensive planning document that functions as a guide for implementation. The BMP contains maps of proposed infrastructure, an outline of potential programs, goals, objectives, policies, funding sources, and responsibilities. This BMP was written in a fashion that allows for expansion, if necessary, to meet the goals and objectives of the project. It is also tailored to the small town, small government aspect of South Pasadena by assigning direct responsibility of implementation to specific City departments. The chapters in the BMP are organized in a manner where a few chapters focus on the entire scope of the project, while other chapters outline the details of what can be expected during implementation.
To view the complete Bicycle Master Plan click here or visit: http://www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us/transportation/PDFs/bicycleplan/2011BicycleMasterPlanUpdate.pdf
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What are Bicycle Programs & Infrastructure?
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The programs outlined in the BMP are oriented around safety, education, and encouragement. The safety and education programs teach bicycling skills, tips on how to ride safely in the roadway, and how the City enforces the vehicular code. The encouragement program promotes bicycling through events and campaigns. The campaigns are designed to encourage the Community as whole to get involved. For example, the plan features a campaign idea that would be lead by local businesses. This campaign plan would encourage participating businesses to offer a deal or discount if a patron arrives at the business by way of bicycle. Chapter 5 provides more detail about the safety, education, and encouragement programs that could be implemented.
Infrastructure is classified as the physical bicycle facilities and amenities proposed in the Bicycle Master Plan. Examples of infrastructure include: bike lanes, pavement markings, and bike racks. Another piece of infrastructure is a signal detection device, which will be placed at specific intersections within the City. This device serves to detect the presence of a bicycle waiting at the intersection. Once a bicycle has been detected, the device electronically adjusts the signal timing accordingly. Further information regarding infrastructure can be located in Chapter 4 of the BMP.
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What types of Bicycle Parking are being Proposed in the BMP?
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There are three different types of bicycle parking being proposed in the BMP: bike racks for short term parking, bicycle lockers for longer term parking, and bicycle valet for event parking.
 | | Proposed Bicycle Rack |
Bicycle racks are the most common form of bicycle parking. The bike rack is for short term parking, ideally not more than a few hours. The racks can currently be seen at the Gold Line station and at other locations around town. In the BMP, the City is proposing to place bicycle racks throughout town; at transit locations, business districts and gathering centers.
 | | Bike Locker |
Bicycle lockers are for long-term parking. The locker locations would be located near transit centers, municipal buildings and business. Chapters 4 and 8 of the BMP provide the specific details regarding the locations of lockers. For further details pertaining to bringing bikes onto Metro rails and buses please visit: http://www.metro.net/around/bikes/bikes-metro/.
 | | Valet Bicycle Parking |
The final option for parking bicycles is by valet. Valet bicycle parking does not utilize the installed infrastructure of bicycle racks and lockers. Bicycle valet is specifically for special events and operates similar to a car valet. Under this method, a bike can be checked-in with an attendant and the bike is then parked in a designated area by the valet staff. Community events where the bicycle valet could be considered useful include: the Farmers' Market, the 4th of July parade, and Concerts in the Park.
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What are the 'amenities' the BMP refers to? |
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Bicycle amenities, as defined in the BMP, are: showers, changing areas and clothing lockers. These amenities are especially important to commuter bicyclists who may need to change clothing and store gear. The intent of providing amenities is to make and encourage bicycling as a viable mode of transportation, even for businessmen and businesswomen. For more information pertaining to amenities and to view the possible locations of said amenities, refer to Chapter 4.
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Are New Developments Required to Provide Bicycle Parking? |
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Part of implementing the BMP is to amend the Zoning Code to clarify the need for required bicycle parking. The BMP identifies specific types of bicycle parking, both bicycle rack and lockers, depending on the size of the development project. Besides bike parking, bicycle amenities are also recommended for both existing public buildings and future large developments. Chapter 4 provides more information about recommended changes to the City Municipal and Zoning codes.
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What does 'Multi-Modal' mean? |
 Multi-modal transportation means having the ability to travel to a destination utilizing many forms or modes of transportation. In many cases this can mean the ability to travel to a destination without the use of a personal car or only using a car for part of the journey.
Bicycling is an integral part of the City's multi-modal strategy and the Bicycle Master Plan provides the framework by which this mode, along with the connections to the Gold Line Station and Metro bus stop, will be implemented. Having the infrastructure and programs identified in the BMP will allow a bicyclist to make regional trips for both work and recreation. To learn more about the bike routes and projects that integrate with transit already available to South Pasadena residents, see the end of Chapter 3. Back to Top |
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What are Class I, II, and III Bikeway Facilities?
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A Class I Bikeway facility, better known as a Class I bike path, is designed specifically for bicycles and is a paved right-of-way separated from a street or highway. This provides a dedicated area for bicycle travel and can be found along the Arroyo Seco.
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Class II Bike Lane
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A Class II Bikeway facility, commonly called a Class II bike lane, is a lane striped and stenciled on the pavement of a roadway that is for the preferential use of bicyclists. These will be found throughout the City. Please refer to the Bikeway map for locations.
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Class III Bike Lane
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A Class III Bikeway facility, is also called a Class III bike route, is a shared facility, either with motor vehicles on the street or with pedestrians on sidewalks. A Class III bikeway facility is proposed to be placed through the commercial area of Mission Street.
Each of these three different types of facilities serves a vital role in creating a complete and connected bicycle network. To find out more about these bicycle facilities and the entire bikeway network, please see Chapters 4 and 8.
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What are some of the Rules for Riding my Bike on the Road or Sidewalk? |
When riding your bicycle on the roadway, a cyclist should ride to on the right-side of the travel lane.
When a Class II bike lane is marked on the roadway (a solid white-strip), a cyclist should always ride in the bike lane. Exceptions include passing another cyclist or instances where the bike lane is obstructed.
When there is a Class III bike route (no marked bike lane) there will likely be pavement markings on the streets called "sharrows". These pavement markings indicate locations where bikes and cars can share the same travel lane. Sharrows make drivers aware of bicyclists on the road. By riding a bicycle over the center of the sharrow, cyclists will, in most cases, be riding at a safe distance from parked cars. To view a PDF document further explaining sharrows, please click here.
Bicyclists can also expect to see a change in the rules pertaining to riding bicycles on the sidewalk. The BMP outlines suggested changes the Municipal Code regarding riding on the sidewalk. The suggestion is to allow riding on the sidewalk. However, the Code would require bicyclists to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians while riding on sidewalks. The Code will state that cyclists shall walk their bicycle on sidewalks when there is limited space to share the sidewalk comfortably with pedestrians. To see the current Municipal Code and other recommended policy codes, see Chapter 4. Back to Top |
A bicycle box is pavement marking at an intersection that identifies a designated area for bicyclists to wait in front of motorized vehicles stopped at an intersection before making a left turn. This makes bicyclists visible to motorists and allows bicyclists to make an easier left turn. To read more about Bike Boxes, visit Chapters 4 and 8.
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 The green lane to be utilized in South Pasadena is a special pavement marking that enhances the visibility of a Class III bicycle route in more congested areas. The green lane is paired with sharrows to draw attention to where bicyclists will be sharing the road with motorists. The green lane raises awareness of bicycling and is proposed for the Mission Street commercial area. It has been successful in several locations including Long Beach, California. Chapter 8 provides more details about the green lane.
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Is the Arroyo Seco Rim of the Valley Trail covered in the BMP? |
The Arroyo Seco Rim of the Valley Trail is incorporated in the BMP. It is part of the bikeway network and has an appendix within the BMP. The appendix is dedicated to discussing some of the complex issues of design and location. The Arroyo Seco Rim of the Valley Trail is currently being looked at as a mixed-use trail due to the varying width of the trail. For the trail to be classified as a Class I bike path, it would have to be 12 feet wide for the entire distance. Appendix C provides more details about the proposed trail.
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How Long will it take to Build Out the Entire BMP and How Much will it Cost?
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Chapter 7: Implementation includes a detailed chart depicting the three general phases for building the various projects and programs identified in the plan. There are Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III projects. Tier I projects will be the first built and they will form the backbone of bicycling infrastructure in South Pasadena, covering all of the major north/south and east/west corridors.
Tier I projects are the highest priority projects and are expected to be built over the next five (5) years; the anticipated cost is approximately $323,600. The entire build-out of the BMP is expected to take 20 years, depending on funding.
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How do I find out if the Street I live on Supports the BMP? |
 To view the entire existing and proposed bicycle network go to page 4.12 in the BMP. Back to Top |
 City of South Pasadena
1414 Mission Street
South Pasadena, California 91030 Phone: 626-403-7210 Fax: 626-403-7211 |
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