31-03-2025
Stockton City Council taps local engineering firm to handle design for Miracle Mile project
Stockton City Council has signed off on the next phase of planning for the long-awaited Miracle Mile Improvement Project.
On March 18, the council unanimously approved $2.2 million for Stockton-based multidisciplinary design and engineering firm Siegfried Engineering Inc. to complete a design for the project. Siegfried, whose corporate office is located at 3428 Brookside Road, beat out seven companies that were interviewed for the gig.
The project design is scheduled to be completed in fall 2026, according to Chad Reed, Stockton's director of public works.
"Miracle Mile truly is the economic engine of the district, and dare I say, Stockton," said District 4 Councilmember Mario Enríquez, whose district encompasses the mile.
The original idea of the Miracle Mile, defined as the portion of Pacific Avenue between Alpine Avenue and Harding Way, was developed by Joe Plecarpo in the early 1920s. The developer modeled the Miracle Mile after Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, a prominent 15-mile boulevard that connects five of Los Angeles's major business districts and Beverly Hills.
Today, the Miracle Mile is home to commercial, educational, recreational, and residential land uses, from staples such as Al's Comic Shop and House of Shaw Café and Bakery to new favorites such as Comal Coffee and Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice.
While the Miracle Mile is known for having a wide variety of specialty shops and services, pedestrian safety in the area has been a concern for the community over the years.
In August 2021, 23-year-old Casey Bynum, a bus boy at Ave on the Mile, died after he was struck by a car while trying to walk across the street to take a photo.
Former Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) was invited to attend Bynum's vigil, where he recalled hearing stories of others sharing their own experiences of being struck by cars on the Miracle Mile.
The following year, Villapudua secured $20 million in funding through Assembly Bill (AB) 179 for pedestrian crossing upgrades, public safety improvements and the overall revitalization of the Miracle Mile.
An ad hoc workgroup comprised of community members and members of Villapudua's office was formed in 2023. The group was tasked with presenting a conceptual design report to the city to show what community members hoped to see at the Miracle Mile in the future.
The ad hoc workgroup produced a 274-page report outlining several recommendations, including creating opportunities for people to gather, enhancing the facades of businesses, incorporating civil improvements for crosswalk, sidewalk, and parking upgrades, and promoting active modes of transportation to and from the Miracle Mile. The group also asked for the historical style of the Miracle Mile to be maintained.
Latest news, sports and more: Accessing local journalism is even easier with The Record app
City staff found Siegfried to be "the most qualified company to deliver the goals that the ad hoc group identified," Reed said.
The public works director noted that "although $20 million is a lot of money, it will not deliver the entire project as desired in the report."
Siegfried is expected to hold at least eight public meetings and pursue additional grants. The firm will apply for four grants in 2025 and four grants in 2026, according to Reed.
"It's a long-term project, but the fact that we're already getting the foundation set is a big deal," Enríquez said.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@ or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton firm to handle design for Miracle Mile Improvement Project
