Supervisor Zach Friend and the Rio del Mar Improvement Association (RDMIA) will be holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, June 1, 2015 at 9:30 AM at the Rio del Mar Beach esplanade. The ceremony will celebrate the completion of the new roundabout as well as the new entrance sign to Rio del Mar and other beautification efforts. All are invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department managed the construction of the roundabout, beginning in the fall of 2014. The RDMIA coordinated the relocation of the Whaley Structure to the roundabout during the construction project. The new roundabout is now complete and provides a safer circulation pattern with less air pollutants released. The Aptos Chamber of Commerce recently awarded a “Community Enhancement” award to the RDMIA for its participation in the roundabout construction.
The roundabout is just one of several projects completed in the Rio del Mar area during the past year. A new entrance sign to Rio del Mar was completed in May 2015 in the traffic median island across from Deer Park Center. The sign’s construction was coordinated by John Fuchs Construction of Rio del Mar and LMNO Arts, an Aptos-based business, created the unique metal letters. The sign’s design is a replica of one of the original signs in Rio del Mar dating back to 1926. The new sign provides a historic and charming “welcome” to residents and visitors alike. All of these efforts are part of the RDMIA’s “Beautification” Strategy for 2014-2015. Other projects that the RDMIA is coordinating include new landscaping and a memorial bench program for new benches along the Esplanade.
The Public Works department utilized grants and other funding to pay for the roundabout. The RDMIA raised over $13,000 to pay for its beautification efforts. Residents, property owners and local businesses contributed to the fund.
