In this edition
  • COVID-19 STA & Transit Updates
  • Adoption of Equity Chapter for County Transportation Plan (CTP)
  • Caltrans Update by District Director Tony Tavares
  • STA Board to Award New Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) Micro-Grants
  • Expanding College Student Fee to SolanoExpress Service Outside of Solano County
  • Solano County Projects for Plan Bay Area 2050 Regional Plan
  • Priorities for Regional Measure 3 (RM 3) Competitive Programs
  • Low Carbon Transit Program (LCTP) Funds Programmed by STA Board for SolanoExpress Electrification
STATUS Newsletter

The STATUS Newsletter is published every month after the STA Board meeting to inform the public and our stakeholders of what’s happening with transportation in Solano County. 

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  • Remote STA Board Meeting 4/8 at 6:00pm
COVID-19 STA & Transit Updates

As you are well aware, recent events have compelled us to make adjustments to our daily routines. The Solano Transportation Authority (STA) is trying to limit the disruptions to public services while maintaining compliance with standard safety precautions. Your safety, and the safety of STA staff are of the utmost importance. In response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic, the offices of the STA and the Solano Mobility Call Centers are closed. STA and Solano Mobility staff are tele-commuting and available by email or phone. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at:
  • STA Main Line: (707) 424-6075
  • STA Main Email: info@sta.ca.gov
  • Solano Mobility: 800-535-6883

Please see announcements from the following Transit Operators:


Adoption of Equity Chapter for County Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP)

Now that the 30-day public comment period is over, the STA Board has approved the adoption of the Equity Chapter and will incorporate it into the County's Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) to be adopted later this year. The Equity Chapter is part an overall update of the Solano Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). The CTP’s three elements are 1) Arterials, Highways and Freeways Element, 2) Rideshare and Transit Element and 3) Active Transportation Element. The draft Equity Chapter was distributed for review and comment following its development by the Equity Work Group, following the STA Board's modification of the STA's Mission Statement in January, and adoption of the Equity Guiding Principles in October. All three CTP elements and an updated land use chapter will be presented to the STA Board in April. Check the STA website here for more developments. .
Caltrans Update by District Director Tony Tavares

Caltrans District 4 Director Tony Tavares attended the March STA Board meeting to provide an update on Caltrans projects in Solano County, highlighting Caltrans’ priorities, Senate Bill 1 (SB-1) projects in Solano and Caltrans’ three highway routes in focus on SR12, SR29 and SR37.
STA Board to Award New Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) Micro-Grants

The STA Board authorized the establishment of Safe Routes to School’s new SR2S Micro Grant Program and issued a call for projects. The goal of the program is to fund and support bike and pedestrian projects that encourage walking and biking and improve safety around schools in Solano County. There was a strong response with a total of 16 applications totaling $211,466.10 in project funding requests. Due to the strong interest from Solano County for these smaller SR2S projects, staff is planning to recommend a continuation of this program next fiscal year. Here are a list of the 14 award application projects that were awarded funding: 

  • City of Vacaville: Radar Feedback Signs
  • City of Vallejo: Radar Feedback Signs
  • Browns Valley Elementary-Vacaville: Bike and Scooter Racks
  • Dan Mini Elementary-Vallejo: Safety Signage and equipment, walk/bike incentives
  • Dixon Montessori Charter School-Dixon: Safety Signage and equipment, bike rack and walk/bike incentives
  • Everest Academy-Vallejo: Safety equipment, walk/bike incentives
  • Joe Henderson Elementary-Benicia: High visibility crosswalk improvements
  • Kairos Public Schools-Vacaville: Safety Signage and equipment, walk/bike incentives
  • Knight Middle School-Dixon: Bike Racks
  • Mary Farmar Elementary-Benicia: Safety Signage and equipment
  • Riverview Middle School-Rio Vista: Bike corral fencing and scooter storage
  • Sierra Vista K-8-Vacaville: Incentives promoting physical activity events
  • Solano-Widenmann K-8-Vallejo: Walk/bike incentives
  • Vaca Pena Middle School-Vacaville: Scooter Racks
Expanding College Student Fee to SolanoExpress Service Outside of Solano County

Last year, Solano Community College (SCC) students passed a ten-year extension of a student fee for transit in Solano County. 85% of students voted to approve the extension. This fee is part of their semester student fee and enables SCC students to ride for FREE on SolanoExpress or local transit services provided by Fairfield and Suisun Transit (FAST), Solano County Transit (SolTrans) or Vacaville City Coach by showing their valid SCC student ID. With the support of the SolanoExpress Transit Consortium, the STA Board approved STA’s recommendation that this service be expanded to allow SCC students to travel for free even outside of Solano County. Amidst COVID-19 related transit changes, remember to check the STA website , call the Solano Mobility Call Center , or visit the transit operators’ websites for updated schedules and routes. 
Solano County Projects for Plan Bay Area 2050 Regional Plan

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) continues to move forward with Plan Bay Area 2050, their long-range plan for the Bay Area’s nine counties that integrates transportation, housing, the economy and the environment. During the first phase, MTC requested the STA select projects based on a large forecasted transportation funding budget estimate: Solano County was provided a funding budget of $2.4 billion. As the second phase started in January, MTC estimated Solano County’s share of forecasted discretionary revenue went down to $344 million. STA has submitted the recommended revised list of priority projects to be included in Plan Bay Area 2050.
 
T o view the list, contact the STA Projects department here .
Priorities for Regional Measure 3 (RM 3) Competitive Programs

Past bridge toll funds have been key in providing Solano County with the opportunity to improve multi-modal mobility along the corridors with a tie to the state owned Bay Area bridges. In June 2018, the Bay Area voters approved Regional Measure 3 (RM 3), which will raise the bridge toll in three stages: $1 on January 1, 2019; $1 on January 1, 2022; $1 on January 1, 2025. In October 2018, the STA Board approved RM 3 Priority Projects for the competitive programs. Since this time, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has taken no action on advancing the programs identified in RM 3 due to an on-going litigation. In preparation of a prospective ruling in mid-2020, STA staff has updated STA’s list of priorities for these various categories and reviewed them for construction in order to get them shovel ready.
 
To view the list of competitive programs in priority order, contact the STA Projects department here . 
Low Carbon Transit Program (LCTP) Funds Programmed by STA Board for SolanoExpress Electrification

In March, the STA Board approved the allocation of LCTP funds on the electrification of the SolanoExpress Bus Service and Fleet operated by Solano County Transit (SolTrans) and Fairfield and Suisun Transit (FAST). Both SolanoExpress service providers have initiated the expensive and important process of funding and implementing the installation of the necessary EV infrastructure for the estimated 35 SolanoExpress buses that serve the four SolanoExpress Bus Routes. This funding will help both transit operators continue to advance their efforts
2020 STA Board Members

  • Ron Rowlett, Chair, Mayor of Vacaville
  • Bob Sampayan, Vice-Chair, Mayor of Vallejo
  • Harry Price, Mayor of Fairfield
  • Thom Bogue, Mayor of Dixon
  • Elizabeth Patterson, Mayor of Benicia
  • Ronald Kott, Mayor of Rio Vista
  • Jim Spering, Solano County Supervisor
  • Lori Wilson, Mayor of Suisun City
     
707-424-6075