Rose Bowl Area and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan

The City of Pasadena is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants to lead the development of the Rose Bowl Area and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan. Funded through the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG), this effort will create a long-range strategy to enhance walking, biking, transit, micro-mobility, and vehicle access to one of Pasadena's busiest community and regional destinations. The plan will address everyday park use, neighborhood connections, and major event operations—while supporting City goals for safety, sustainability, and equitable access.

The selected consultant will assess multimodal conditions; analyze traffic, parking, transit, active transportation, and safety challenges; and develop innovative, data-driven recommendations. A strong emphasis will be placed on equity-centered engagement, including workshops, surveys, pop-up events, and collaboration with a Community Advisory Committee to ensure the plan reflects the needs of Pasadena residents, particularly historically under-represented communities.

The final product will be a cohesive, actionable plan supported by technical analysis, community input, conceptual designs, and planning-level cost estimates—providing the City with a clear roadmap for future mobility investments in the Rose Bowl and Brookside Park area.

City of Pasadena

The City of Pasadena is an ethnically diverse community that is home to approximately 142,017 people. Pasadena is the ninth-largest city in Los Angeles County. It is one of the primary cultural centers of the San Gabriel Valley. The City covers approximately 22.5 square miles, with an average of ten residents per acre. The median age of its residents is approximately 36.9 years. There are over 100,000 jobs in a wide variety of industries in the City of Pasadena.

The Rose Bowl Stadium and Brookside Park are iconic Pasadena destinations that serve the community daily as recreational and open-space amenities while also functioning as hubs for large-scale and international events. This dual role creates complex and varied mobility needs throughout the surrounding area for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and drivers alike.

Purpose

On July 1, 2025, the City of Pasadena was awarded funds from the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) for the Rose Bowl Area and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan. The STPG Program supports local and regional transportation and land use planning that aligns with California’s climate goals and regional development strategies.

The Rose Bowl Area and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan will create a comprehensive strategy to enhance transit, walking, biking, and vehicle access to the Rose Bowl and Brookside Park area for events and day-to-day community use. The project emphasizes equity, sustainability, and community engagement to ensure that the outcomes benefit all stakeholders, especially disadvantaged communities. The community and key stakeholders will be involved throughout all phases of the plan development to create a cohesive, actionable community vision that significantly improves access to this important event and park area.

The Consultant will lead the development of the Rose Bowl and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan by providing comprehensive planning, technical analysis, and community engagement services. The Consultant shall conduct planning-level analyses to assess existing multimodal connectivity challenges; research best practices and propose effective, innovative methods to improve transportation access for all modes; and facilitate a robust community engagement process that includes workshops, public meetings, surveys, and other outreach activities. The Consultant shall prepare targeted marketing and engagement materials to ensure participation from diverse communities, including disadvantaged populations, and will translate data-driven findings and stakeholder input into actionable recommendations and implementable strategies.

The Rose Bowl and Brookside Park area is an active regional destination with significant ongoing and planned activity, including the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for which the Rose Bowl will serve as an official venue. This broader context underscores the importance of a cohesive, long-range planning framework for this area. The Rose Bowl and Brookside Park Area Multimodal Connectivity Plan is intended to establish that framework—defining multimodal needs, priorities, and strategies that will guide improvements over time. While near-term events help illustrate the importance of coordinated access and mobility planning, this Plan’s focus is on supporting the area’s long-term functionality, sustainability, and accessibility into 2028 and beyond.

Figure 1: Map of Rose Bowl and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan Project Area Map

Success in delivering this Plan will require meaningful, sustained engagement with the Pasadena community, ensuring that local perspectives directly shape the development of multimodal improvements in the Rose Bowl and Brookside Park area. Connecting with all communities, particularly those who have historically been under-represented in planning processes, will be essential to achieving an equitable and community-driven plan. The Consultant will be expected to use a combination of traditional and innovative outreach methods to reach residents and stakeholders who may not typically participate in conventional public meetings, ensuring that the planning process reflects the full diversity of Pasadena’s voices and experiences.

Relationship to City Planning Documents and the General Plan

The City’s Mobility Element provides the overall policy framework for the Rose Bowl and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan and transportation in the City.

The Rose Bowl and Brookside Park Multimodal Connectivity Plan is consistent with the Mobility Element Objective of Encouraging Walking, Bicycling, Transit, and Other Alternatives to Motor Vehicles through the following policies:

Policy 2.5 Develop and maintain a comprehensive and integrated system of reduced-stress bikeways and increase bicycle parking at destinations.

Policy 2.6 Strengthen the marketing and promotion of non-auto transportation to residents, employees, and visitors.

Policy 2.8 Maintain existing and identify new opportunities for bicycle infrastructure.

Policy 2.9 Ensure secure and convenient bicycle parking is available at destinations.

Policy 2.11 Consider bicycle education safety programs for all skill levels.

Policy 2.12 Develop specialized educational campaigns and informational materials to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.