January 2026

January 2026

As we kick off a new year, we have some major updates on school safety, a critical opportunity for you to shape the city's budget, and a look back at the incredible progress we made together in 2025.

Here is the latest news on active transportation and street safety in our community.

🚸 Wins for School Zone Safety

Restoring 15 MPH Speed Limits

We have an important update regarding safety around our schools. Last year, the City of South Pasadena quietly increased speed limits in front of Marengo and Arroyo Vista Elementary schools. This change was implemented without notifying the public at any forum.

Because we are constantly monitoring street safety, we caught this increase while in the middle of our campaign to reduce speeds. Thank you to everyone who showed up to forums and signed our petition.

After an in-person meeting, the new Public Works Director agreed that the increase was made in error. The City has committed to restoring the 15 mph speed limits in front of these schools. Please keep an eye out for this change, which we hope to see implemented in the next month.

School Board Adopts Safe Routes Policy

Speaking of our campaign to reduce speeds: We recently presented the results of our petition—182 signatures from students and families asking for Safe Routes to School (SRTS)—to the South Pasadena Board of Education.

We are thrilled to announce that the Board has adopted a policy to support SRTS. This includes designating a staff member dedicated to planning and facilitating active discussions with the City of South Pasadena.

We are continuing to ask that the District and City prioritize the safety of students who walk and bike to school. SRTS promotes independence and healthy exercise, which is proven to aid in learning. Furthermore, reducing the need to drive to school improves physical safety, reduces local pollution, and lowers our contribution to climate change.

📋 Action Alert: Community Survey Now Open

The City is currently planning its budget priorities, and they need to hear from you. The Community Survey is one of the primary ways the City Council decides how to prioritize spending for the coming year.

Please take a moment right now to fill this out. We need to tell the City that we prioritize funding for a higher quality of life over the status quo.

Click here to take the survey

Suggested Priorities: When filling out the survey, please consider asking the City to build bike lanes and improve sidewalks to give residents real alternatives to driving. The survey includes items such as:

• "Improve Sidewalks"

• "More Bike Lanes"

• "School Crossing Guards"

• "Better Public Transportation"

We hope you agree that these items need more support from our city.

🏆 Highlights of Our Advocacy in 2025

Looking back, 2025 was a pivotal year for street safety in South Pas. Here is what we accomplished together:

• Saving Pedestrian Safety on Fair Oaks: Early in the year, the City proposed removing pedestrian bulb-outs along Fair Oaks Ave—a safety feature they had previously agreed to keep. After our advocacy efforts, and with strong support from Councilmembers Omari Ferguson and Sheila Rossi, the City reversed its decision and preserved the bulb-outs. This decision saved the City money and aligns with best practices from transportation experts like the Toole Consulting Group, who recently highlighted the extreme hazards of "right turn on red" traffic patterns.

• Bike Bus Explosion: In September, our Bike Bus program expanded to five routes across two schools with over 100 riders every Tuesday! The program even garnered statewide recognition from CalBike. You can read their feature here: Arroyo Vista’s Bike Bus: A Community in Motion.

• Fundraising Success: In December, we raised over $2,000 for the AV PTA to support the Bike Bus program. 

📅 Upcoming Events

Jan 24: SAFE "Die-In" at LA City Hall Streets are for Everyone (SAFE) is organizing a protest to mark ten years of Vision Zero and the thousands of lives lost on our roads since its inception. Join the "Die-In" to demand better street safety in LA and everywhere.

• Date: Saturday, January 24, 10am

Feb 7: South Pasadena Arts Crawl + Bike Valet The Arts Crawl is back! As usual, South Pas Active will be running the Bike Valet. Save yourself the hassle of parking and driving to this popular event, and let us watch your bike for free while you enjoy the art and community.

• Date: Saturday, February 7, 2-8pm

As a reminder, we are a 100% volunteer led organization. We're always looking for community members to help with advocacy, events, and outreach. Fill out the volunteer form on our home page or email us at info@southpasactive.org to learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Stay Active,

Your friends at South Pas Active