Columbia Street Multimodal Improvements Project - Conceptual Development, Preliminary Engineering, & Final Design Services

Posted At:Tue, Oct 14, 2025 1:54 PMSealed Bid Process:Yes (Bids Sealed / Pricing Sealed)Private Bid:No

The City of Pasadena’s (the City) Department of Transportation is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms or teams of firms to advance the Columbia Street Multimodal Improvements Project (Project). As part of this work, the consulting firm or team will develop concept designs and preliminary engineering with cost estimates, for the development of multimodal improvements for Columbia Street between Orange Grove Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue. As an additional task to be exercised at the City’s sole discretion, the consulting firm or team will advance the preliminary design and cost estimates to a complete 100% Plan, Specification, and Design (PS&E) package suitable for construction bidding. The goal is to create a lasting, community-driven vision and improvements for the corridor, improving safety, mobility, and connectivity for people walking, biking, and driving.

It is expected that the consultant(s) will:

• Have experience and skillset to carry out scope of work for Phases 1 and 2 of the Project
• Demonstrate skills in safety analysis, field investigation, data collection, research and mapping
• Demonstrate expertise in active transportation facility concept development and design, including designing safe and comfortable intersections for people walking, biking, and driving.
• Have experience using the following design documents:

• • California Highway Design Manual
  • American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets Manual (the “Green Book”)
  • National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Bikeway Design
  • NACTO Designing for All Ages & Abilities Contextual Guidance for High-Comfort Bicycle Facilities
  • Caltrans Design Information Bulletins (DIB), notably DIB 89-02 Class IV Bikeway Guidance and DIB #94 Complete Streets: Contextual Design Guidance

• Have experience designing Protected Intersections and similar intersection improvements as described in the Caltrans DIB 89-02 Class IV Bikeway Guidance and NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. Additionally, the Consultant shall have experience incorporating bicycle signal phasing and similar traffic signal safety features for people walking and biking into intersection designs. Consultant experience in designing innovative traffic signal phasing that significantly enhances walking and biking access and safety while limiting wait time for roadway users would be a significant benefit to the Project.
• Have thorough working knowledge of all pertinent federal and state accessibility requirements, including:

• • Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines
  • Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Title 24, Part II Chapter 11B, Sec. 11B.705
  • California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

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.

Background

Pasadena is an ethnically diverse community that is home to approximately 137,195 people making it the 213rd-largest city in the United States. Pasadena is the ninth-largest city in Los Angeles County . It is one of the primary cultural centers of the San Gabriel Valley .

This Project relates to the recent SR 710 Planning work being conducted in the City of Pasadena. The California Transportation Commission approved the relinquishment of the SR 710 transportation corridor from Union Street to Columbia Street, and the City of Pasadena subsequently took official ownership of this transportation facility. The relinquishment enables the City to make immediate improvements to enhance multi-modal mobility in the SR 710 area, while the long-term vision for land use, transportation, and infrastructure will require a more extensive multi-year planning process. The Project area is south of properties relinquished to the City of Pasadena by Caltrans as part of a multi-year collaborative study and work effort. The State Route 710 North Stub Repurposing Technical Feasibility Assessment documents this multi-year study and work effort, and along with the Relinquishment Area Map provides documentation of the changes in jurisdictional control in the State Route 710 North Stub area.

The 710 N. Stub Project Development Technical Memorandum documents outline specific neighborhood concerns identified through multiple public meetings and provides recommended treatments for this Project. The Consultant shall utilize the identified recommendations as a foundation to guide the concept and design development. However, the City encourages the Consultant to think creatively and explore alternative design elements, ensuring that innovative and potentially more effective solutions are evaluated and incorporated into the design if appropriate.

This Project aims to establish an enhanced bicycle and pedestrian network on Columbia Street, enhancing safety and accessibility for people walking and biking while preserving the overall traffic flow by maintaining the existing number of thru travel lanes to maintain efficient vehicle movement. The proposal seeks to balance the needs of local residents and people walking, driving, and biking, thereby contributing to a safer and more sustainable transportation environment for the community. Key parameters for developing these concepts include ensuring that near-term improvements do not adversely impact future changes to land use, roadway networks, or other community development aspects that may be considered in the SR 710 stub long-term planning efforts. Another key part of the work will be evaluating existing conditions and providing designs to upgrade facilities to the current City of Pasadena design standards.

The limits of this Project are within the public right-of-way on Columbia Street, covering approximately 0.5 miles in length between Orange Grove Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue. Improvements on Pasadena Avenue would be completed by a separate project (Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue Roadway Network Project). The Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue Roadway Network Project include improvements such as pedestrian streetscape and crossing improvement, as we well as Class II and IV bicycle facilities, along Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue between Walnut Street and Columbia Street (both Avenue sections approx. 1.8 miles).

Columbia Street Project Area

Along with corridor improvements, improving safety and mobility at intersections along Columbia Street will be a critical component of the Columbia Street Multimodal Improvements Project. Initial Project features and elements under consideration include:

• Modifying the intersection of Orange Grove Boulevard and Columbia Street to reduce the radius of the sweeping right turns to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety
• Enhancing the safety of the split (doglegged) intersections of Columbia Street at Pasadena Avenue, and Columbia Street at Fremont Avenue, through roadway striping and traffic signal modifications
• Upgrading the traffic signals, including CCTV cameras, controllers, cabinets, fiber communication switch, vehicle and bicycle detection system, accessible pedestrian push buttons, and enhanced safety through modification of signal operations
• Installing fiber optic communication infrastructure between Pasadena Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard to support signal modifications at the intersection of Orange Grove Boulevard and Columbia Street
• Installing bike lanes along Columbia Street to connect to a separate multimodal project proposed on Pasadena Avenue to the north.
• Additional improvements could include upgrades to traffic signals, sidewalks, curb ramps, street lighting (roadway and pedestrian scale), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) design, landscaping, and stormwater management.
• Coordinating with the City of South Pasadena on other transportation and complete streets efforts in the vicinity of the Project.

Objective

The Project goal is to create a walking and protected bicycle network that will connect communities, improve safety, comfort level, and provide connections to Pasadena’s active transportation network. The NACTO documents referenced shall inform the design, but would not be controlling design documents, and deviation from these documents would be allowed if appropriate. Design, construction, and alteration of pedestrian facilities shall also integrate Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). Key considerations for the design include:

• Does the design moderate and incentivize safe vehicle speeds;
• Would a family with children be comfortable biking and walking on this corridor after the design is installed;
• Does the design directly address and mitigate historic crash patterns on this corridor;
• Does the Project design provide a connection to the planned Pasadena Avenue multimodal corridor project;
• Does the design create intersection crossings that would make a family feel safe to cross walking or biking;
• Does the design upgrade to current City of Pasadena standards all core infrastructure features such as curb ramps, utilities, drainage, street lighting, pavement, and traffic signals; and
• Are pedestrian elements including street crossings, sidewalk ramps, signals and other facilities accessible to people with disabilities.

The following is a sample of concept improvements to be considered for the Project. This is a non-exhaustive list of possible improvements, and not all features would be expected to be included in the concept design. Additionally, new innovative design treatments not included in the following list as appropriate in addressing the Project’s goals would be encouraged.

A - Pedestrian Safety Improvements:

• Curb Extensions
• New Sidewalk Features
• High Visibility Crosswalks
• Leading Pedestrian Intervals
• Audible Pedestrian Signals
• Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons
• Pedestrian Refuge Islands
• Raised Crosswalks
• Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
• Right Turn on Red Restrictions

B - Bicycle Safety Improvements:

• Bike Box
• Class II Bikeways
• Class IV Bikeways
• Bicycle Signal Phasing
• Protected Bicycle Intersections

C - Traffic Calming:

• Lane Narrowing
• Speed Humps/Tables/Cushions
• Speed Feedback Signs
• Signal Timing Strategies

D – Traffic Signal Improvements:

• Vehicle and Bicycle Detection Systems
• Accessible Pedestrian System
• CCTV Cameras
• Omni Controllers with licenses
• 332 Cabinets
• Fiber communication, including switch
• Modifications such as Flashing Yellow Arrows

E – Other Improvements and Features:

• Protected Left Turns
• Raised Intersection
• Road Resurfacing
• Street Lighting
• Utility and Drainage New Design and Relocation (ex. Pull Box Relocation and Spandrel and Cross Gutter Design)
• Redesign of Uplifted and Deficient Sidewalk Areas
• New and Correction of Deficient Curb Ramps
• ‘Green’ Drainage Elements such as Bioswales
• Trees and Landscaping with an Emphasis on Native Species
• Storm Drain Connections

The Project would evaluate the design improvements for feasibility, and the design development shall include feasibility analysis, such as turning radii and drainage analysis. Landscape and ‘Green’ drainage elements such as bioswales shall incorporate native plants and follow the Pasadena landscape design standards. The infrastructure upgrades will include significant changes to the public right-of-way, and additionally, design work would include upgrading all curb ramps, addressing deficient sidewalks, curb and gutter work including draining and utility relocation.

Phase 1 of this work will consist of concept development and preliminary engineering. Concept development will be an iterative process with community input. Initial design ideas based on the 710 N. Stub Project Development Technical Memorandum will be developed and then refined using feedback from public meetings, surveys, or online platforms.

As concepts evolve, high-quality renderings showing before-and-after conditions will help the community visualize the proposed changes. These visualizations will be used to gather further feedback to ensure the design aligns with community needs. The City will procure an outreach consultant separately to handle the community engagement for this Project and other related transportation projects. However, the Consultant for this contract shall be prepared to coordinate with the outreach consultant, attend community meetings, and provide supporting graphic materials and technical information as appropriate.

After completion of Phase 1, the City will determine whether to exercise the contract option and proceed to the next phase, Phase 2. This phase would involve advancing the preliminary design to a 100% final PS&E design package suitable for construction bidding and supporting bidding and construction.

Columbia Street is along the city boundaries between Pasadena and the neighboring City of South Pasadena. Columbia Street to the north of the southern curb line is within the jurisdiction of the City of Pasadena and to the south of the southern curb line is within the jurisdiction of the City of South Pasadena. The Consultant will assist with coordinating input, necessary permits and approvals with the City of South Pasadena.

City-Provided Work and Data

The City will provide access to relevant city data. This data includes, but is not limited to:

• Street Design Guidelines,
• Available Standard Specifications, Drawings, and As-Built Plan,
• Capital Improvement Program,
• Mobility Element,
• Street types and context mapping,
• Bicycle Transportation Action Plan,
• 710 N. Stub: Transitional Project Development – Neighborhood Protection Enhancements,
• 710 N Stub Project Development Technical Memorandum,
• SR-710 N. Stub Repurposing – Technical Feasibility Assessment,
• Relinquishment Area Map (SR 710 Northern Stub Area),
• Pedestrian Transportation Action Plan,
• Pedestrian Crossing and Treatment Guidance Report,
• Arterial Speed Management Best Practices Report, and
• Engineering reports, traffic data, and planning documents.

The City will provide this data at no cost to the Consultant; however, the City assumes no responsibility for the sufficiency or accuracy of any information supplied. The Consultant shall be responsible for evaluation of all information supplied by the City.