By Elisa Nguyen

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The streets of Stockton may soon dance with new life as the city works to revitalize its Miracle Mile. Following a public outreach meeting, the Stockton design team gathered community input for a makeover of this historic district. The project, reportedly aimed at making pedestrian safety improvements and reviving Pacific Avenue, has entered a crucial phase of planning.

Stretching from Alpine Avenue to Harding Way, and Harding Way from El Dorado Street to Lincoln Street, the Miracle Mile has roots tracing back to the 1920s. The area, envisioned after one on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, now seeks a modern facelift. It was in 2021 that an ad hoc group, including local business leaders and stakeholders from the University of the Pacific, coalesced around the idea of the Miracle Mile Pedestrian Safety Improvements and Revitalization Project. This effort was further bolstered in 2022 by a $20 million grant from Assembly Bill 179, as reported by Caltrans.

During a recent gathering, residents of Stockton were invited to share their opinions through a color-coded sticker system, marking areas of the design they approved or disliked. “Looking at the park is so exciting to me. To have lights, to have it look nice. To bring some beauty back to Stockton,” Trisha Navarro expressed her enthusiasm in an interview with CBS Sacramento. Community members also engaged in round tables with the design team to dig into the specifics of their desires and concerns for the area.

The feedback from these discussions will lead to a revised plan, set to be unveiled at a public meeting later this year or early next. Traffic and pedestrian safety remain at the forefront. “There would be 20 concepts implemented to slow drivers down,” the project lead assured those gathered, addressing a core community concern. With daily vehicle throughfare estimated at 20,000, the safety measures have become a critical aspect of the project, as noted by CBS Sacramento.

Diana Lowery, a former Stockfield city council member, shared a vision for the Miracle Mile’s potential transformation, saying, “Now we want to create a location where everyone feels like, wow, I’m where it’s really all happening,” according to CBS Sacramento. Residents and interested parties can still contribute to the dialog through an online survey.