As one of the first thoroughfares during the early days of this community, Stewart Street has witnessed more than 100 years of history for both Loma Linda University Health and the city of Loma Linda. The two entities joined together for the past year and a half in a construction project on Stewart Street to benefit students and the community.
“What we’re in now is what I call the renaissance of Stewart Street,” said Loma Linda Mayor Dusty Rigsby, MD, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony the afternoon of Sept. 9. The section of the road between Anderson and Campus streets had been closed since March 11, 2013, for the transformation.
During that time, the street was lowered by about 15 feet to pass under a new pedestrian bridge connecting the main LLU campus to the Centennial Complex.
This has created a pedestrian-friendly, student-centric environment, noted Rigsby. Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University Health, said that when plans were made to construct the Centennial Complex, many options were discussed for making it accessible to vehicles and pedestrians, but this one was the only true solution. The construction has been a joint project of LLUH and the city.
“This is a time when town and gown literally came together,” Hart said, calling it a real delight to open the road.
The ceremony marked the completion of the construction, and both street and pedestrian bridge are now open. There may be some intermittent rerouting of foot traffic as the bridge is landscaped, covered in shade canopies, and dotted with benches.
Pavers for the Centennial Pathway will also be extended over the bridge to the doors of the Centennial Complex — meaning it will now cover 150 years of history (through 2055) instead of the originally planned 100.
Hart pondered what events might take place at LLUH between now and 2055 that will be meaningful in history. He also reflected on the meaning of the artwork that is etched into the concrete retaining walls of the lowered street: the LLUH motto “to make man whole” and images of the hemispheres of the globe.
These were chosen, Hart said, in recognition of the LLUH commitment to serve the entire world. “Roads and bridges are symbolic,” he noted.
Rodney Neal, MBA, senior vice president for financial affairs, Loma Linda University, also spoke at the event, saying that the road and bridge will become another iconic piece of the Loma Linda landscape. Ken Breyer, assistant vice president, LLU Shared Services, prayed.
Representatives of both the city and LLUH cut a ceremonial red ribbon — Hart, Neal, Rigsby, and T. Jarb Thaipejr, city manager, Loma Linda.
Loma Linda Fire Department facilitated the first drive down the newly reopened street, with the same four men and a few others riding on two engine-red antique fire trucks.
Many people were thanked for making the construction successful, including Brad Johnson, project manager.
“I’m so privileged to work here,” Johnson said. “We all support the mission in different ways, and this has been really rewarding for me.”
Other individuals who made the project possible include Thaipejr, Brad Glassick, Harold Hartwick, Ian Robertson, Robert Johnson, Fred Yi, and Eleazar (Alex) Rubalcava.