News of the Arroyo
Title: | Rose loop experiment a hit |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2008-09-26 |
Summary: | September 26, 2008 - The one-day experiment in restricting car traffic for a few hours on the Rose Bowl loop to promote a safe environment for recreational users there got a mixed response. What do you think? Be sure to let city officials know. |
Author: | Janette Williams, Staff Writer |
Publication: | Pasadena Star-News |
Content: | • Photo Gallery: Rose Bowl loop close PASADENA - For two traffic-free hours Thursday evening, strollers, skaters, cyclists, dog-walkers and joggers took over the Rose Bowl\'s 3.3-mile loop in an experiment proposed by interim City Manager Bernard Melekian. Perched on his bicycle and watching the crowd go by, Melekian said the turnout was \"absolutely fabulous\" and credited the city departments that collaborated on the complicated logistics. The upside, he said, was everyone had a chance to enjoy the loop without dodging cars, although the controversial bicycle pelaton still swooped by every few minutes. \"The downside is, it\'s a little expensive,\" Melekian said of the $4,500 cost. Fred Dock, director of the city\'s department of transportation, said special tubes placed on the surrounding streets were being used to count cars and track changing traffic patterns \"before, during and after\" the 5 to 7 p.m. traffic closure. The city will use the statistics to gauge the success of the event, which is just one of several ideas being considered to ease congestion in the popular lower arroyo recreation area, Melekian said. Others, he said, include a \"giant traffic circle\" with cars restricted to the loop\'s outside lane and allow pedestrians and bike-riders on the inside. The City Council has allocated $50,000 to study the various ideas for patterns, he said. As he observed the loop-users, Rose Bowl General Manager Darryl Dunn said \"the jury\'s out\" on the experiment. \"If (the cars) don\'t come here, they\'ve got to go there,\" he said. \"It\'s not all about recreation, it\'s impacting the quality of life for people who live adjacent to the Rose Bowl.\" Cleora Spencer and her niece Kelynn Harris, a 14-year-old freshman at Blair High School, said they\'d come to check out the scene and watch the pelaton - dozens of high-speed bike-riders in close formation. Spencer said the traffic closure was a good idea and added everyone could walk or ride \"and not worry about being hit by a car.\" Since the one-time closure was announced Tuesday, phone-call and e-mail reaction has been \"50-50\" between pro and anti factions, Melekian said. One message stuck in his mind. \"This person wrote, \'I don\'t know if you\'re the stupidest official, but you might be in the top 10,\' \" he said. janette.williams@sgvn.com (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4482 |
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