IN THIS EDITION:

• CTC awarded $129M of SB1 TCEP Funds to STA for WB Truck Scales
• STA’s Draft Overall Work Program to Guide STA Over Next Two Years 
• Solano Express Operating Budgets for FY 2022-23 and 2023-24
• Comprehensive Transportation Plan is Officially Underway
• STA extends Solano Express 2 For 1/Clipper Program
• STA Partners with Vallejo Youth/Club Stride on Developing Transportation Alternatives
• SR2S, Safe Moves and Bike Area Bike Mobile host First Annual Benicia Bike Fair
• STA to partner with Rio Vista & Dixon on Community Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs)
• Solano County's 2023 Bike To Wherever Day Highlights
• Bike To School Day Highlights
• Solano Mobility Vanpool Program Update
• Openings Available for STA Advisory Committees 

CTC awarded $129M of SB1 TCEP Funds to STA for WB Truck Scales

CTC scheduled their statewide meeting for June 28th & 29th at the STA’s office in Suisun City

STA Board Members Alma Hernandez, John Carli, Steve Young, and MTC Commissioner Jim Spering

testifying at the CTC meeting

On June 28, 2023, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) awarded $129 million of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1: The Road Repair and Accountability Act 2017 Act) Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) to the Solano Transportation Authority to support the construction of the Westbound I-80 Cordelia Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility (I-80 Westbound Truck Scales). STA would like to thank the California Transportation Commission, Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and California Highway Patrol for their continued support on this project.

STA’s Draft Overall Work Program to Guide STA Over Next Two Years 

On June 14, 2023, the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) Board approved the release of the STA’s draft two-year Overall Work Plan (OWP) for FY 2023-24 and 2024-25 for a 30-day review and comment period. STA has updated the STA’s OWP, which covers all of the plans, projects, and programs that the STA Board has authorized in recent years. This draft OWP covers fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 and includes 61 work tasks, an increase over the 56 items from the current OWP. Two overall priorities are the update to the STA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and the implementation of a series of RM 3 funded projects. To review the draft Overall Work Plan for FY 2023-24 and 2024-25, please click here.

Solano Express Operating Budgets for FY 2022-23 and 2023-24

STA has been working the past few months with the various funding partners (SolTrans, FAST, Vacaville, Suisun City, Dixon and the County) that collectively help fund the operating budget for the four Solano Express routes to update the current operating budget for FY 2022-23 and to develop the operating budget for FY 2023-24. Thanks to the efforts of MTC Commissioner Jim Spering and the resolution of the RM3 lawsuit, MTC has provided $1.8 million of RM3 operating funds for Solano Express in FY 2022-23, as reflected in the revised operating budget for this fiscal year. The operating budgets are intended to cover the estimated reduction to 41,000 annual service hours, based on revised August schedules for Solano Express provided by SolTrans.  

Comprehensive Transportation Plan is Officially Underway

In May, STA officially started the update to the Solano Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) with the first meetings of the Active Transportation Committee; the Equity Working Group; and the Arterials, Highways and Freeway Committee. The initial meeting of the Transit Committee is scheduled for July 12th. 

The next series of CTP committees are scheduled for this Fall with a focus on draft transportation priorities and funding, with public outreach anticipated throughout the Plan’s development. The committee meetings are open to the public. For more information about any of the committee meetings for the CTP update, contact Director of Planning, Robert Guerrero, at rguerrero@sta.ca.gov.  

STA extends Solano Express 2 For 1/Clipper Program

In November 2021, to encourage new and help sustain existing ridership on the four Solano Express Regional bus lines, STA initiated a 2-for-1 incentive. Due to the Solano Express 2-For-1 incentive program's popularity and STA’s continued goal to incentivize the sustaining and increasing of ridership on Solano Express, the STA Board approved STA's recommendation to extend the program to June 30, 2024. Currently, anyone working or living in Solano County purchasing a Solano Express monthly pass can apply to receive a Clipper Card with a $125 cash value. For more information, please visit the Solano Express 2 For 1 promotion page on the Solano Mobility website here.

STA Partners with Vallejo Youth/Club Stride on Developing Transportation Alternatives

In coordination with the STA’s Equity Working Group, STA and Club Stride is engaging the community residents and youth in Vallejo as part of the Solano STEP (SolSTEP) Project team using the recently adopted Equity Guiding Principles. Leveraging its role as a Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) for Solano County, STA is working collaboratively with project partners to help create, organize, and implement future equitable and accessible transportation programs and projects in Vallejo to adhere to California’s GHG emissions goals.

STA and Club Stride will work together to create an addendum to the Vallejo Community Transportation Plan, focusing on a youth perspective and a Career Pathway Pilot Program leveraging internship opportunities to encourage youth participation in transportation-related jobs throughout Solano County. California Air Resource Board (CARB) is providing an extension of time through December 2024 to complete these projects.

SR2S, Safe Moves and Bike Area Bike Mobile host First Annual Benicia Bike Fair

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, STA’s Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program hosted the first annual Benicia Bike Fair with program partners Safe Moves and Bay Area Bike Mobile. This free community event featured a Safe Moves bike rodeo, which taught hands-on bike and pedestrian safety to 60 elementary school age kids in a mini-city bike course. Families were able to get over 80 bikes tuned-up and repaired, compliments of the Bay Area Bike Mobile team at their onsite, full-service bike repair shop. SR2S coordinators were also onsite to give away and fit over 70 free bike helmets and safety lights to kids in need. Benicia Firefighters also joined the event to educate the community on how to treat bicycle related injuries.

STA to partner with Rio Vista & Dixon on Community Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs)

STA will be conducting Community Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs) with the City of Rio Vista in Fall 2023 and the City of Dixon in 2024. This will be the first CBTP STA will have conducted for Rio Vista and an update to the City of Dixon's 2004 CBTP. The STA will engage community residents as a Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA) in partnership with City, community and local transit operators (Rio Vista Delta Breeze and Dixon Readi-Ride), including outreach at various community venues, such as senior centers and veterans’ halls. STA will also gather feedback from each community via both online and a hard copy mailer sent to each household. The overarching goal of working with these communities is to gather feedback and prioritize transportation projects in the future.

Solano County’s 2023 Bike to Wherever Day Highlights

STA led Solano County’s 2nd traditional Bike to Wherever Days celebration post-pandemic. With participation numbers close to 2019 (pre-pandemic) results, this year’s event was a success. Enthusiasm was high. Interested cyclists and employers have already volunteered to help plan the 2024 Bike to Wherever Days.

This year, participants enjoyed a Vallejo Community Bike Ride hosted by STA Bicycle Advisory Vice Chair (BAC), Dave Belef, an Adult Benicia Bike Skills and Maintenance Clinic hosted by the Benicia Bike Club, a Pledge to Ride, and Themed Bike Ride Photo Contests. Bike to Work Day was held on May 18th with 7 Energizer Stations drawing 273 cyclists.

Bike To School Day 2023 Highlights

Solano County students were encouraged to strap on safety helmets and pedal to school on National Bike to School Day, Wednesday, May 3, 2023. This annual event focuses attention on the physical and environmental benefits of biking to school instead of commuting by car. Organized locally by the Solano Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program, this event compliments the many family-friendly community event that took place across Solano County during Solano Bike Month in May. This year 28 elementary and middle schools participated reaching over 2,500 students.

Solano Mobility Vanpool Program Update 

Vanpooling is a convenient way to commute to work, especially for people who work far from home. Vanpools can cut commute times in half and potentially save thousands of dollars a year in commute costs. Official vanpools have 7 to 15 passengers, including the driver.

On April 1, 2021, Solano Mobility launched a Vanpool Subsidy to encourage residents and employees in Solano County to use vanpools for their commute to work. In partnership with Commute with Enterprise, STA’s Solano Mobility provides a $200 per month subsidy for two years to new, qualifying vanpools through Commute with Enterprise. This subsidy adds to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC’s) $500 subsidy for a total of $700 per month to help offset the cost of new vanpools. All Solano Mobility vanpool participants are also eligible to receive additional incentives through the RideAmigos platform.

This year, STA has initiated twenty-four new vanpools traveling from Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Vacaville, and Vallejo to Alameda, Napa, Richmond, San Francisco, and Treasure Island, exceeding the initial goal of establishing twenty vanpools. For more information on the Solano Mobility Vanpool program, please visit solanomobility.org or contact the Solano Mobility Call Center at 800-535-6683.

Openings Available for STA Advisory Committees 

STA is asking for your help to plan and 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 Fairfield 

Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC)

• City of Dixon
• City of Vacaville
• City of Suisun City
• Member-at-Large
• 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.