A state recording made it official Thursday when Caltrans handed over ownership of Hollister’s main street to the city.
The former portion of Highway 25 that routed through the core of Hollister is now under control of the city. It is a long-awaited move to coincide with handing over the relatively new Highway 25 bypass to the state, a move that should occur in the coming months.
The state’s official recording Thursday, though, makes the city’s receiving end of the deal official and should give local officials more leeway when planning events on the San Benito Street portion of the former Highway 25.
“It was official at some point today,” said Brenda Weatherly, executive director of the Hollister Downtown Association, while commenting on the Caltrans surveying work that completed the task.
The California Transportation Commission’s approval last month meant all that was left to make the transition official was today’s action. The changes are happening after the signing of a state law in the fall that was followed by the Hollister council’s OK to accept control and maintenance of San Benito Street and other portions of the prior Highway 25 route leading to the other side of the new bypass.
Next, the state will get control of the highway bypass running through town. That should happen in the late spring or early summer, according to the Council of San Benito County Governments.
Getting control of San Benito Street is particularly important to get maximum flexibility in planning events such as the Downtown Farmers Market, the Downtown Hollister Street Festival & Car Show and the Hollister Rally, according to advocates behind the push to get local control.
Those supporters instrumental in gaining control of San Benito Street are set to hold a ceremony March 12 to commemorate the change.
