Santa Monica College and the City of Santa Monica will hold a community meeting to provide an update on SMC’s transportation initiatives and shuttle parking program, which include new bus improvements, the closure of the beach parking lot June 12, and the opening of a new, college-owned lot in the east end of Santa Monica.
The college will hold the meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 15 in the John Muir School Auditorium, 2526 Sixth St. SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang and Santa Monica City Manager Lamont Ewell will be on hand to talk about the plans and to answer questions.
SMC has been working closely with the Big Blue Bus to inaugurate a new bus line, the SMC Commuter, which is free to SMC students and employees, and to add frequency of service on Line 11, the Crosstown bus.
“This is just the beginning of a long-range transportation initiative SMC has undertak-en that will be rolled out over the next few years, and it includes ridesharing, bicycle commuting and more,” Tsang said. “Getting students to use alternative transportation is an ongoing educational endeavor. Though it takes time to change our auto-oriented culture, we are making progress.”
SMC recently completed the purchase of a 2.35-acre site at 2909 Exposition Blvd. The site is currently used as a Verizon parking lot, and SMC will continue to use the site as a parking lot. Officials say the college plans to make various improvements to the site.
College officials say this is the first time in nearly two decades that SMC has owned — not leased — a shuttle lot, providing long-term stability for parking needs. The new lot is located just a few blocks from SMC’s Academy of Entertainment & Technology.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 14, 2007. Read the original PDF.