■ Application to take part in Sunset Magazine event in June accepted
By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor
The Tourism Committee of the Economic Development Board will receive an update Thursday morning on the progress of the intermodal project at the corner of Military and First Street.
The $3 million project, underwritten by a Regional Measure 2 (bridge tolls) grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, is expected to beautify and improve two existing transit stops, one at First and Military and the other at West K Street and Military.
The improvements are intended to encourage residents to use public transportation to reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report last August by city engineer Mike Roberts.
Construction on the project has been scheduled to get under way this spring.
“City Park will essentially be a location for people to park their cars and get on the bus,” acting Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani said Monday. “This is a project that will facilitate that goal. There will be a lot of improvements to the Military-First entryway.”
Roberts will give the update on the project to the committee, Giuliani said. “A majority of the folks (on the committee) work on First Street, so they can go back and share the information on when construction will begin and what to expect.”
The Sunset Weekend and Bus Coordination subcommittees will also provide an update this week.
The city’s application to once again take part in Sunset Magazine’s event in Menlo Park was accepted, Giuliani said, “so we will be at the Sunset Weekend for the second year in a row. That’s on June 2-3,” he said.
He said each committee member is being asked to bring a hard copy of at least one photograph of Benicia to be displayed at Sunset Weekend, and a sign-up sheet to work the event will also be distributed. “We want people to bring some pictures in so we can pick some really nice pictures as part of our display for the booth at Sunset, and to see if anyone wants to sign up to volunteer,” Giuliani said.
Other highlights of the meeting will include an update on the Visit Benicia Spring 2012 Contest and an update on the progress of planning for Art Walk, slated for June.
The committee also will receive its Open Government training from City Attorney Heather McLaughlin. “It is the first time they’ve received Open Government training,” Giuliani said. “It is not required, but a few of the members had asked. It was convenient to schedule with Heather (McLaughlin) because it was during a work day.”
If You Go
Benicia Tourism Committee will meet at 8:45 a.m. Thursday in Room 2 at the Community Center, 370 East L St.
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Can the tourism committee explain why there is a visit Benicia billboard on the corner of West Grand Avenue and Northgate Avenue in Oakland? That neighborhood (or people passing through it) are far outside the stated target demographics of this tourism plan.
No kidding! I’ve seen the visit Benicia sign in an oakland neighbodhood where all the businesses have bars on the windows. it’s near the billboard offering free needle exchange, which frankly seems better targeted o the neighborhood.
I think the point is that the sign is visible to BART riders and a major freeway…
“City Park will essentially be a location for people to park their cars and get on the bus,” acting Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani said Monday. “ …so City Park will become a parking lot??
Benicia Council members please reject this bad idea and vote “NO” on the intermodal bus stop. Transit stops bring transients they do not spur economic activity. Look at the ferry terminal in Vallejo. What do you see? A huge parking garage, traffic, pedestrians making a mad dash across the street and little economic activity. Same thing at the Martinez train station (without the parking garage).
The parking is already there. No added spaces. The only difference is it will nw be unlimited time for parking. Not a good idea. Now all the employees of the close by stores will use those spaces. Why not it is unlimited time. This is just another grant money project that the city needs to pass on. I forgot this is for folks to ride the buses to no where. Very bad bus schedule. Where are they going to ride theses buses to? Take their money and shop in another town. Did that thought every cross anyones mind? No.;
If the $3 million dollar bus stop is meant to increase tourism, wouldn’t that mean that people park their cars in other towns then come to Benicia to spend money? Why do we need to provide parking in Benica? Wouldn’t that mean that people from Benicia are leaving to go elsewhere?
Anyone riding the bus to Benicia won’t be coming to buy something. Families can forget about parking near the park. This is another example of Big Government and Little Government wastin your tax dollars
This is great news for all the riders from Vallejo who take SolTrans over to rob our houses then jump back on the bus.
Yes, all none of them.
Mike-
By saying “All none of them” are you implying that my statement is false? Apparently you didn’t read the story LAST WEEK about a cell phone of a Vallejo resident left on the SolTrans bus that led cops to this individual who was taking the bus to rob houses in Water’s Edge.