Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
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Section 4: Mobility Element Plan
The City of Pasadena benefits from a diverse transportation system that includes transit, bicycle, and
pedestrian links as well as vehicular links. The City’s local system connects with the larger regional
system, and the operation of the two systems is interdependent. The Mobility Plan establishes how the
City manages the local system to provide for the safe and convenient movement of people and goods. It
also addresses how the City influences and manages connections with the regional transportation
system.
The Plan identifies the City’s current transportation system and potential enhancements. It draws upon
objectives and policies identified in Section 3.
4.1 Local Transportation System
The vision of the Mobility Element is to promote a livable community where people can circulate
without cars. Consistent with this principle, the Mobility Plan has four primary objectives that guide
how the City’s transportation system is managed: Promote a livable and economically strong
community, encourage non-auto travel, protect neighborhoods by discouraging traffic from passing
through neighborhoods, and manage multimodal corridors to improve citywide transportation services.
Each objective is discussed below.
4.2 Fixed Route Services
The City of Pasadena benefits from an extensive network of local and regional transit routes that
provide good citywide coverage. Pasadena Transit provides a network of routes that are focused on the
major business districts; the six Gold Line Stations in Pasadena; and connections to the regional transit
service network. The system is also intended to connect residential neighborhoods to the business
districts and major trip generators. The list below includes all transit agencies that service the City
these routes consist of Local Lines and Feeder Lines:
Six local routes provided by the City (Pasadena Transit Routes 10, 20, 31/32, 40, 51/52, 60)
13 regional routes provided by the MTA (east-west lines: 177, 180 and 181; north-south lines:
256, 260, 264, 267, 266 and 268; Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles: 485, 487, 489, 762 and
780)
One regional route provided by Foothill Transit (east-west: Route 187)
Two regional express routes provided by Foothill Transit (Route 690) and LADOT (Route 549)
Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
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Map: All Transit Agencies
Map: Pasadena Transit Routes
Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
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Map: Metro Gold Line Stations
Information regarding the transit services is available in printed form and can also be found at a number
of Internet web sites. Each agency has an individual web page that provides route-specific information.
Additionally, MTA makes available travel/schedule software services that can be used to plan trips
including trips that require transfer from one transit system to another.
The City’s local transit service, Pasadena Transit, has undergone significant development since its
inception in 1994. Current plans include continued support to the Gold Line Foothill extension,
increased service levels, and increase the existing fleet with the acquisition additional of new clean-fuel
vehicles. The Short Range Transit Plan outlines future headway increases in existing routes and
potential expansion of services.
4.3 Pasadena Transit Programs
TAP
To enhance transit connectivity and accessibility, TAP cards, a universal fare transit
pass program has
been adopted by several transit agencies in Los Angeles County which enhances seamless travel for
transit users. Transit users can board any participating transit system by simply “tapping” a card reader
as the customer boards a bus or enters in a rail system. Pasadena Transit recently collaborated with
MTA to install TAP card readers in all buses which are now being accepted.
Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
Page | 17
Transit Vehicle Arrival Information System
Transit Vehicle Arrival Information System (TVAIS) enables Pasadena Transit buses to be tracked by a
system to provide customers with “real-time” arrival information. Transit customers are now able to
obtain real-time bus arrival information via an interactive voice response (IVR) component (i.e.,
information via phone), installation of real-time information signs at a number of key bus stops, the
internet, as well as automated voice announcements on the buses as buses approach bus stops.
In addition, the implementation of this project has allowed the City to track on-time performance, route
adherence, and aid dispatchers and operations personnel in quickly identifying the location of vehicles
and facilitate the resolution of incidents. This information will also be available to the City Traffic
Management Center (TMC).
The TVAIS is designed to be an efficient, effective, reliable, flexible, and expandable bus CAD/AVL system
that meets the needs of the ARTS ridership, and the City’s management, dispatchers, bus operators, and
road supervisors. Key objectives of this project include:
•
Provide improved delivery of transit information to the public
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Improve operational efficiency
•
Improve service quality
4.4 Paratransit Service
All fixed-route, public transit buses are accessible to persons with disabilities. However, transit
operators recognize that some individuals may need a greater level of assistance. Access Services, a
regional agency, administers and manages the delivery of paratransit service within Los Angeles County.
Access Paratransit is the service name of the ADA complementary paratransit service operated by
Access Services for functionally disabled individuals. In addition, the City of Pasadena provides
supplemental, curb-to-curb, dial-a-ride service (Pasadena Dial-A-Ride) to further assist the regional
program for seniors and persons with disabilities who are unable to access local bus service.
4.5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility
Bicycle Transportation Action Plan
The City of Pasadena's Bicycle Transportation Action Plan provides specific goals, objectives, actions, and
timelines for creating an environment (1) where people circulate without a car, (2) that significantly
increases the number of people who commute by bike, (3) that increases the number of people who use
a bike for utilitarian trips, fitness and recreation, and (4) that provides business and economic benefits
for the City. The plan provides details for a network of bikeways so that every neighborhood is within
1/4 mile of an effective bicycling route in the north-south and east-west directions. The plan outlines
educational, engagement, enforcement, and evaluation strategies designed to increase bicyclist safety
by educating both bicyclists and motorists. Finally, the plan outlines strategies for funding the program.
In addition, the Bicycle Transportation Action Plan establishes goals to set the context for planning
objectives and actions to carry out the Bicycle Transportation Action Plan.
They provide long-term
vision and serve as the foundation of the plan. Goals are broad statements of purpose. Objectives are
more specific statements of purpose. Actions describe actions the City can take to meet the goals and
objectives.