The Solana Beach Transit Center is home to a new information kiosk that aims to attract more visitors by showcasing what Solana Beach has to offer them.

During a March 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Solana Beach mayor Lesa Heebner unveiled the prototype, which includes a large TV screen that displays a slideshow of neighborhood images and a touch-screen kiosk that allows people to browse nearby businesses. Every licensed business in the city is listed, and grouped by categories. Once a person finds something that piques his interest — a sushi bar, for example — the kiosk will print a menu, a map with directions from the train station, and perhaps even a coupon. The system can also be updated to spotlight happenings throughout Solana Beach.

The hope, Heebner said, is that this will encourage mass transit ridership, bolster the local economy, and promote Solana Beach as a “wonderful, walkable city.” Therefore, the project was a collaboration between North County Transit District (NCTD), the City of Solana Beach, the South Cedros Merchants Association and the 101 Merchants Association.
“You never do big things by yourself, you do big things by collaborating,” said NCTD executive director Matt Tucker, who also spoke during the ceremony. “This represents the first step in improving that collaboration and doing big things.”

The project, which was made possible thanks to funding from Solana Beach philanthropists Peter House and Carol Childs, will serve as pilot program for NCTD and likely be adopted throughout its rail system.
“And you in Solana Beach can say you were the first to have it,” Tucker added. more