In July of 2025, The City of Stockton and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission came together in a ground breaking ceremony to commemorate the beginning of the East Channel Street Streetscape and Connectivity Project, a pivotal improvement to a major downtown Stockton road and Stockton’s Amtrak Train Station. Azul Works, Inc. took the lead on this project as the prime general contractor, working closely with the City of Stockton and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission to bring the transportation improvement plans to life.
East Channel Street connects to the heart of downtown Stockton and was previously known for its poor condition, high levels of traffic congestion, and limited accessibility and safety for pedestrians. Before this project began, East Channel Street was ranked 34/100 for walkability, 18/100 for public transportation, and 43/100 for bikeability, according to Walk Score. However, the City of Stockton, in partnership with the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, had greater plans to improve the area. The project focuses on East Channel Street, specifically the stretch from North Aura Street to 150 ft from Stanislaus Street. The goal of the project is connectivity aiming to bring the community together by increasing accessibility to the ACE Train at the Amtrak Train Station and improving the safety of East Channel Street along the way.
When the project was first announced by the city in 2020, a budget was raised collectively by the City of Stockton, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), and the Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP). The City opened the project for bidding and Azul Works, Inc. was awarded the bid and selected as the general contractor. Azul Works, Inc. is a female and minority owned General Contractor based in San Francisco, California. Specializing in underground and earthwork, site utilities, electrical, and concrete and asphalt paving, Azul was well equipped to take this project on.
A Golden Shovel Groundbreaking Ceremony was held to recognize the significance of this project and to commemorate the first day of construction, a longstanding tradition in the construction industry. The ceremony took place on a sunny Thursday afternoon in Stockton on July 31, 2025. Among the speakers were members of the City of Stockton council, California state representatives, and members of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission. The development of the project was highly praised and was even described as the “blueprint” for future improvements to downtown Stockton. To conclude the ceremony, members of the ceremony, including Azul Work’s founder and president, Sandra R. Hernandez, were awarded a golden shovel and made their way over to conduct the groundbreaking. Each member, with their golden shovel in hand, collectively dug into the dirt in unison to symbolize the first day of construction of the Stockton East Channel Street Streetscape and Connectivity Project. Smiles and congratulations were shared, and Azul was ready to hit the ground running.
Since the ceremony and first day of construction on July 31, 2025, Project Manager Polat Shamyradov and Project Engineer Ivan Silva have been overseeing the project every step of the way. While onsite the project each day, Ivan Silva has had the pleasure of speaking with members of the community throughout the development. Many have expressed their excitement and gratitude for the improvement to East Channel Street. Specifically, Stocktoners are enthusiastic that they will now be more easily able to access the Channel Street Community Medical Center (CMC) and the ACE Train at the Stockton Amtrak Train Station. Additionally, they are grateful that pedestrians will have wider sidewalks, parents and children will be able to walk safely to school with protected and well-lit walkways, cyclists will have protected bike lanes, commuters will no longer need to swerve around potholes, and increased tree cover will cut the intense Stockton heat for all. This improvement is paramount for the City of Stockton and Azul Works, Inc. could not be more proud to be a part of it.
The project is making steady progress with an expected completion date of June, 2026. So far, we have already seen an increase in the accessibility score. East Channel Street now boasts a walkability score of 87/100, 44/100 for public transit, and 65/100 for bikeability, according to Walk Score. This is a significant increase from the previous condition of the road, and it may even spark a chain reaction for future improvement projects throughout the city. Azul Works, Inc. would be honored to continue to work with the City of Stockton and other California city and transit organizations on similar projects.
To read more about Azul Works’ completed work and works in progress, head over to: www.azulworks.com
