The Old Stage Road portion of the De Anza National Trail system,
just outside San Juan Bautista, will be dedicated to former
District 2 Supervisor Richard Place in a ceremony Tuesday.
The Old Stage Road portion of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Trail system, just outside San Juan Bautista, will be dedicated to former District 2 Supervisor Richard Place in a ceremony Tuesday.
The road, which in late 1998 had turned into a gang and lawless haven, is entering its 11th year as an official part of the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail system that runs from the Mexican border to San Francisco.
The four-mile road segment was transformed to a Juan Bautista de Anza Trail portion in early 1999 by blocking off all vehicle traffic and making the road strictly a foot, horse or bike path.
To do so, the county went into an agreement with Graniterock, which doesn’t charge San Benito any money for roadway maintenance.
Early this year, Graniterock renegotiated a contract with the county to maintain the road for another 10 years, Public Works Administrator Steve Wittry said. It is Graniterock’s second agreement with the county – the first ended late last year after 10 years.
To celebrate the second public/private partnership agreement between the county and Graniterock, the National Parks Service and the San Benito County Parks and Recreation Department will dedicate a plaque in Place’s name. He is being recognized as an integral player in the agreement between the county and private company.
Place called the trail a “tremendous asset to the county.”
“It’s kind of a humbling thing,” Place said. “I really feel very, very happy.”
The agreement allows the county not to spend any money on the road and allows Graniterock to perform a community service, said Jim West with Graniterock’s Public Affairs Office.
“It’s corporate responsibility,” West said. “I said we’ll do it and do it for free as long as no vehicle can go on the road.”
And no vehicle has entered the trail since the county gated off the road from cars 11 years ago.
Place started the idea of transforming the road to a national trail after he and the supervisors received complaints about the Old Stage Road area.
The road was quickly deteriorating and becoming a place where gangs would hang out, West said. Landowners in the area complained that roadway visitors were damaging both their land and animals, and the county didn’t have the money to help clean up the roadway.
Place tried to find a better way of fixing it. With Graniterock’s proposition, he said the board of supervisors agreed to transform the road into a trail.
The Juan Bautista de Anza Trail travels 1,210 miles and tells the story of the 1775-1776 Spanish Expedition and the missions that were established throughout California. The trail was first established as a Historic National Trail in 1990.
The plaque ceremony is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. April 20 at the De Anza Trail. The public is invited to attend. For Ron Erskine’s January column on the road, go here.
Editor’s note: Richard Place is a member of the Free Lance Editorial Board.
