Miracle Mile looking for community members to help increase pedestrian safety in Stockton

Stockton’s Miracle Mile is the place where you can find shops, food and everything in between. The Miracle Mile has it all, or at least almost everything.

Over the years, pedestrian safety in the area has been a concern for the community. That will hopefully change with the Miracle Mile Improvement Project paid for by the state of California − taxpayers.

Stockton native Assemblyman Carlos Villapudua secured $20 million for the revitalization of pedestrian crossings, public safety improvements, and more at the Miracle Mile made possible through the 2022 California Budget Act Assembly Bill 179 (AB 179).

That money will be allocated to the city of Stockton and Caltrans.

But “it wasn't easy,” Villapudua said. Securing the money was a “year-long process.”

The catalyst

In 2021, Villapudua was invited to attend Casey Bynum’s vigil. There he recalls hearing stories of others sharing their own experiences of being struck by cars on the mile, he said.

Bynum was a 23-year-old worker at the AVE on the Mile. He was struck and killed by a car as he was taking a photo, ABC 10 reported in August 2021.

"He was taking a picture of some people, and he backed up and he was hit and struck immediately," Kevin Hernandez, AVE on the Mile owner told ABC 10 then.

Something that Villapudua could relate to. His own friend was also struck on the mile, he said.

“It changed my perception of when I drive down there," Villapudua said. "I would always think about my friend that got hit. He lived but he's still to this day has a lot of health issues."

Villapudua, Caltrans and the city of Stockton are partnering with community members to form an Ad Hoc Work Group.

The group will consist of 21 members of the community and will meet in person bi-weekly. Applications are now being accepted through July 7.

To apply for the Ad Hoc Work Group visit: bit.ly/3pqIkn2

Those interested are encouraged to answer all questions in the application fully, especially why they are interested in participating in the working group and what knowledge and skills they can contribute. But "there's no specific qualification required," Villapudua said.

He is hoping to hear from members in the arts and entertainment industries, culture backgrounds, retail, and education but also Miracle Mile residents, he said.

The city of Stockton has until Jan 1, 2028, to spend the $20 million. Villapudua hopes to complete the project long before that.

“My goal is to try to have it done in like two-and-a-half years,” Villapudua said.

Villapudua’s plan is to secure as many grants as possible and other financial opportunities available before using the $20 million. He has paid visits to cities like Pleasanton, Dublin, and Lodi to learn how they can make this project a successful one.

The city staff in Pleasanton helped define hurdles and solutions.

"That's why we've been taking a while, to try to build this Ad Hoc committee, because we wanted to make sure and we want to make sure that we hit a home run,” Villapudua said. “So a lot of it's going to go toward slowing the traffic down, looking at how we incorporate, the pedestrian safety, how we incorporate the beautification.”

For more information on the project or the Ad Hoc Work Group visit: bit.ly/3O1xdKV

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Your voice input could help save pedestrians' lives on Miracle Mile