(Photos – SPUSD)
Since the start of the 2025–26 school year, the City of South Pasadena has been working with residents and the South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) to improve traffic safety in the school zone surrounding Arroyo Vista Elementary School. The effort began with a series of infrastructure upgrades completed in July 2025 and has continued with additional enhancements throughout the school year.
By News Desk
Initial improvements included upgrading crosswalks to high-visibility markings and repainting red curbs at several intersections, including El Centro Street at Cawston Street, Pasadena Avenue, and Indiana Avenue, as well as Hawthorne Avenue at Cawston Street. The City also extended a loading zone along El Centro Street by 100 feet between Cawston Street and Pasadena Avenue.
Additional safety measures completed in July 2025 included the installation of “Yield to Pedestrians” signs and pavement markings, known as shark teeth, at key intersections near the school. Time restrictions were removed from “No U-Turn” signs on El Centro Street, making them enforceable at all hours.
In October 2025, a flashing stop sign was installed at the intersection of El Centro Street and Indiana Avenue. Further updates followed in February 2026, when school zone speed limits were corrected from 25 mph to 15 mph along Pasadena Avenue and nearby streets. Flashing pedestrian crosswalk signs were also installed at the El Centro Street and Pasadena Avenue intersection.
SPUSD has coordinated with the City on additional traffic studies conducted in early 2026 at two intersections: El Centro Street and Pasadena Avenue, and Hawthorne Street and Cawston Avenue. The studies concluded that an all-way stop is warranted at Hawthorne Street and Cawston Avenue, but not at El Centro Street and Pasadena Avenue. Installation of the all-way stop at Hawthorne and Cawston is expected to begin in the spring.
The City is also evaluating further safety improvements at the El Centro Street and Indiana Avenue intersection.
Some planned improvements have been delayed since January 2026 due to an ongoing sewer line rehabilitation project near the school zone. The work, conducted by Spiniello Infrastructure West in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, is expected to be completed by April 17, 2026.
Looking ahead, the City plans to continue enhancements in compliance with AB 413, which prohibits parking within 20 feet of crosswalks to improve visibility. Red curbs will be extended to meet this requirement at multiple intersections, with completion anticipated in April 2026.
Following the completion of the sewer project, additional upgrades are planned in coordination with SPUSD. These include installing all-way stop signs at Hawthorne Street and Cawston Avenue, implementing left-turn restrictions during school hours at El Centro Street and Cawston Avenue, and adding “No Stopping / Parking” signage along Hawthorne Street.
The City also plans to install a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at the intersection of El Centro Street and Cawston Avenue to enhance pedestrian safety. The project has been approved by the South Pasadena City Council and is currently in the design phase, with construction expected to begin in early winter 2026.
City officials say the ongoing collaboration aims to create a safer environment for students, parents, and the broader community surrounding Arroyo Vista Elementary School.
Leave a Reply