IN THIS EDITION:

• I-80 Westbound Truck Scales Project Update
• STA Hosts Planning Commissioner Training Meeting 
• STA awarded Caltrans Planning Grant for a Climate Adaptation Plan for Transportation Infrastructure
• City of Vallejo celebrates Groundbreaking for Bay Trail/Vine Trail
• STA Board approves Microtransit Mobile Application contract for Rio Vista Delta Breeze & Suisun Microtransit 
• Transit Operators present at STA’s Transit Committee Meeting
• STA Board approves $140,000 in BAAQMD TFCA Funding for Fairfield SR2S Project & Solano Mobility Commuter Programs
• Annual Updates for array of Solano Mobility Programs 
• Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Program Update
• Outerspatial App Update
• Openings Available for STA Advisory Committees
• STA Staff Update

I-80 Westbound Truck Scales Project Update

With the California Transportation Commission’s recent award of $129 million in Senate Bill 1 (SB1) Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) funds, Solano Transportation Authority and Caltrans are working together to complete the design of the Westbound Cordelia Truck Scales Project and initiate the right-of-way (R/W) process. At the September 13th Board meeting, STA provided an update to the Solano I-80 Westbound Truck Scales Project, which will replace the existing, dated, and under capacity westbound truck scales facility with a new and modernized facility located approximately 0.7 miles east from its current location in Cordelia, Solano County. Constructing and opening the new facility will increase safety of the I-80 corridor, reduce greenhouse (GHG) gas emissions, stimulate economic activity, facilitate trade, and create and preserve jobs as described below:

• Accommodate up to 1,000 trucks an hour (currently 500-700 trucks a day)
• Reduce rear-end collisions and weaving along I-80 in the project area
• Provide California Highway Patrol (CHP) with increased enforcement capacity
• Improve travel times for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles
• Decrease congestion at entrance/exits points of facility
• Reduce environmental impact of freight movement
• Facilitate zero-emission freight fueling with the installation of electric charging infrastructure for trucks and CHP vehicles

The acquisition process is expected to be completed in July of 2024 to allow for construction to begin in late summer. Construction funding was approved by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) in the amount of $129M as part of the 2022 TCEP at the June 2023 Commission meeting. The construction phase is fully funded by a combination of these TCEP funds with the RM3 (Regional Measure 3 bridge toll) funds also set aside for construction.

STA Hosts Planning Commissioner Training Meeting 

As part of the Solano Transportation Authority’s County Collaborative on Housing efforts, over 45 Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff attended a countywide Planning Commissioner training event on Friday, August 25th. Attendees were informed of fundamental planning principles such as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Housing Laws and Policies, as well as their role as Planning Commissioners and community engagement. Please contact Robert Guerrero, STA Deputy Executive Director/Director of Planning for more information regarding the STA’s County Collaborative on Housing at rguerrero@sta.ca.gov.

STA awarded Caltrans Planning Grant for a Climate Adaptation Plan for Transportation Infrastructure

Train passing through Suisun Marsh (Photo by Michael Adamson)

2020 LNU Complex Fire Damage on I-80, City of Vacaville

January 2023 Atmospheric Rivers - City of Fairfield

STA was recently awarded a $500,000 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant to develop a Solano Countywide Climate Adaption Plan for Transportation Infrastructure. The planning effort will involve conducting a vulnerability assessment and identifying projects to adapt and build resiliency into the transportation system to withstand extreme weather events and long-term climate impacts.

City of Vallejo celebrates Groundbreaking for Bay Trail/Vine Trail

On Thursday, August 24, elected officials, transit representatives, and members of the community broke ground on the 5-mile Bay Trail/Vine Trail Project. Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell, Napa Valley Vine Trail founder and Board President Chuck McMinn, Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan, Solano Transportation Authority Board Chair (and Benicia Mayor) Steve Young, Caltrans Chief of the Office of Transit and Active Transportation Sergio Ruiz, and Vallejo Assistant City Manager Terrance Davis were among those speaking and in attendance.

The Bay Trail/Vine Trail Project will construct about 5 miles of bike and pedestrian trail facilities in the north end of Vallejo to ultimately connect the Vallejo Ferry Terminal to the jurisdictional boundary with American Canyon in the southern portion of Napa County, connecting all the way to the foot of Mount St. Helena in Calistoga, for a total of 47 miles. The project will build sections of Class I multi-use trail and sections of Class II and IV bike lanes along Wilson Avenue, Sacramento Street, Enterprise Drive, Lewis Brown Drive, Broadway Street, Sonoma Boulevard, Meadows Drive, and Catalina Way. The project includes enhancements such as wayfinding, shelters, interpretive panel, and mileposts. 

STA Board approves Microtransit Mobile Application contract for Rio Vista Delta Breeze & Suisun Microtransit 

The Rio Vista Delta Breeze, Suisun Microtransit, and STA partnered to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for On-Demand Mobility Technology services in May 2023. Additionally, in August, the Rio Vista City Council unanimously approved extending the contract with STA to manage the Delta Breeze for an additional five years. At the September STA Board meeting, STA received the Board’s authorization to enter a contractor agreement to provide a mobile application for Rio Vista Delta Breeze and Suisun Microtransit for three years and two additional option years for an amount not to exceed $448,093.

Transit Operators present at STA’s Transit Committee Meeting 

The STA hosted the second Solano Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) Transit Committee meeting on Wednesday, September 13. The meeting focused on Solano County’s six bus operators, Rio Vista Delta Breeze, Dixon Readi-Ride, Suisun Microtransit, Vacaville City Coach, Fairfield Transit (FAST), and Solano County Transit (SolTrans). Representatives from each agency presented about their local service and their future priorities. MTC Commissioner Jim Spering and MTC's Assistant Director of Funding Policy and Programs, Melanie Choy, gave an overview of the MTC Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Taskforce Recommendations and Six Functional Areas. STA concluded the meeting with an update on the Solano Connected Mobility Implementation Plan. 

The Transit Committee’s third meeting is scheduled for January 2024. The committee meetings are open to the public. For more information about any of the committee meetings for the CTP update, contact STA Deputy Executive Director/Director of Planning, Robert Guerrero, at rguerrero@sta.ca.gov.  

STA Board approves $140,000 in BAAQMD TFCA Funding for Fairfield SR2S Project & Solano Mobility Commuter Programs

At the September Board meeting, the STA Board approved the allocation of $140,000 in Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Transportation Funds for Clean Air (TFCA) Program Manager Funds for the East Tabor Tolenas Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Project within the City of Fairfield ($100,000) and for rideshare incentives for Solano Mobility’s Commuter Programs ($40,000). The East Tabor Tolenas SR2S Project is planned and designed to improve the safety of students by installing sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and a gated at-grade pedestrian crossing of the Union Pacific Railroad crossing at East Tabor. This project is part of a larger phased project along Tabor Avenue to Grange Middle School and Sunset Drive that was previously funded in part through the STA’s SR2S Microgrant Program.

The Solano Mobility’s Commuter Program continues to be one of STA’s most cost-effective programs for TFCA funds due to its air emissions reduction benefits provided by its countywide rideshare and employer incentive programs that promote the use of travel alternatives in Solano County. For more information about the TFCA Program, please click here.

Annual Updates for array of Solano Mobility Programs

STA’s Solano Mobility Employer Commuter Program recently completed its year-end annual update for FY2022-23. Due to increased outreach and marketing efforts by program staff in partnership with the Solano Economic Development Corporation, Solano Mobility program participation continued to expand with an increasing number of commuters benefiting from incentives and subsidies. Some of the FY2022-2023 highlights are:

Outreach

• Tabled/attended 36 events reaching 1,471 commuters and employers
• 80,463 views of the Solano Mobility website
• 34,533 views of Social Media content on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram
• 29th Annual Bike to Work Day drew 473 participants, matching 2019’s participation

New Programs

• Equitable Access to Justice Pilot launched 7/1/23 in partnership with Solano Superior Court to provide 100% subsidized rides to court appointments, eliminating transportation as a barrier to court participation
• Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Pilot launched 8/7/23 in partnership with SHARE Mobility to assist riders traveling between Vacaville, Dixon, and Sacramento

Commuter Programs

Amtrak + Lyft

• Enrolled 25 new commuters, increasing total program participation to 100 since the program’s start in 2019

Commute Solano (Rideamigos) Online Platform

• 733 active users logged approximately 9,800 alternative commute trips, for an estimated savings of 68.3 tons of CO2
• Active users increased 74%, with 560 new accounts created

First/Last Mile

• 643 commuters registered, almost doubling program participation to 1,296 commuters
• Provided 26,429 rides

Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)

• Provided 20 emergency ride home reimbursements

Guaranteed Ride (GR)

• 243 Solano Express riders signed up to receive Uber Vouchers to use when Solano Express route cancelled
• Provided 2,371 rides 

Solano Express 2-for-1 Incentive

• Provided 25 2-for-1 matching passes
• Provided 40 Clipper Cards valued at $125 to match monthly Solano Express passes

Vanpool Program

• Provided 23 Solano County vanpools 
• Total of 58 owner-operated vanpools and Commute with Enterprise vanpools traveled to and from Solano County

Employer Program

• Tabled/attended/presented to 26 chamber/business events in partnership with the Solano EDC to introduce commuter programs to local businesses

For more information, please visit www.solanomobility.org/commuter-programs or contact the Solano Mobility Call Center, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, at 800-535-6883. 

Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Program Update

The Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Pilot Program provided 328 rides for travel between Vacaville, Dixon, and Sacramento in August. A total of 16 riders signed up for the program. The service was created to complement the Solano Express Blue Line, which no longer travels to Sacramento. For more information on the Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Pilot Program, please visit SolanoMobility.org/expressvanpool or call the Solano Mobility Call Center, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5pm, at 800-535-6883.

Openings Available for STA Advisory Committees

STA is asking for your help to build a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly Solano County. The STA currently has open positions on our Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC). The BAC and PAC advise the STA on the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities as an active mode of transportation in Solano County. Committee members also help STA develop countywide transportation plans and projects and provide funding recommendations for active transportation projects.

We are looking for the following representatives:

Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC)

• City of Dixon

Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC)

• City of Suisun City
• County of Solano
• Member-at-Large (Solano Community College)

For more information on the BAC Open Positions, click here, and click here for more information on the PAC Open Positions. 

STA Staff Update

Lorene Garrett was recently promoted from Program Coordinator II to Employer Commuter Senior Program Coordinator. She reports to Ron Grassi, STA’s Director of Programs.

Brittany Williams

Krystle Kerr

On September 18, Brittany Williams and Krystle Kerr joined STA’s Solano Mobility Program as part-time Customer Service Representatives for the Call Center. Both Krystle and Brittany are residents of the City of Fairfield and report to Erika Dohina, Program Services Supervisor.