IN THIS EDITION:

• One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) Workshop: STA’s Citizen-Based Advisory Committees & Community-Based Organizations meet with STA Board to discuss OBAG Funding Priorities
• Solano Connected Mobility Implementation Plan, Part 1 completed: Guidelines, Performance Measures, and Benchmarks
• STA Awards $490,126 TDA Article 3 Funds to Six Bicycle & Pedestrian Projects
• Draft Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan available for Public Comment
• STA releases Draft Local Road Safety Plan and Regional Vision Zero Policies for Public Comment
• STA Board approves Budget for FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24 to fund 56-Item Work Plan
• STA’s 2022 Federal Priorities Update: STA continues to pursue funding for 2022 Federal Priorities
• Suisun City’s McCoy Creek Bike & Pedestrian Project Breaks Ground
• Solano Mobility Update: First/Last Mile
• Get Involved with STA Advisory Committees
• STA Staff Update

One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) Workshop: STA’s Citizen-Based Advisory Committees & Community-Based Organizations meet with STA Board to discuss OBAG Funding Priorities

On July 13th, the STA hosted a Board workshop for the allocation of $15 million in One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) 3 funding. The workshop was part of the required public outreach process for the programming of these federal transportation funds. The seven project sponsors that submitted funding requests, the STA Board members, STA’s citizen advisory committees, and community-based organizations (CBOs) were in attendance. At the workshop, a representative from each STA advisory committee and participating CBOs presented their committee priority project or program from the proposals submitted by project sponsors to the STA Board and staff.

The STA Board is scheduled to forward a recommendation of this funding to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) at the STA Board meeting on September 14.

Solano Connected Mobility Implementation Plan, Part 1 completed: Guidelines, Performance Measures, and Benchmarks

The first product of the Solano Connected Mobility Implementation Plan has been completed and adopted by the STA Board: a Mobility Guidelines, Performance Measures and Benchmarks document to help determine the ongoing relevance, usability, adaptability, and sustainability of the mobility programs currently offered in Solano County. 

One of the primary objectives of the Plan is to incorporate the recommendations of MTC’s Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force within Solano County. By linking its assessment metrics with Task Force recommendations, STA can effectively evaluate how existing transit services and mobility programs align with what the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has deemed essential for establishing and sustaining an effective regional transportation network.

At the September Board, STA and consultants will present a draft Market Assessment, Big Data Analysis, and the results from a recent Solano Express Ridership Survey. To view the Solano Connected Mobility Guidelines, Performance Measures, and Benchmarks, click here. 

STA Awards $490,126 TDA Article 3 Funds to Six Bicycle & Pedestrian Projects

The STA Board awarded $490,126 in FY 2022-23 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds to six bicycle and pedestrian projects. The STA issued a Call for Projects for the TDA-3 FY 2022-23 funds in early Spring and received project submittals from the six cities and the County of Solano. The following projects were recommended to receive funding:

1. $75,000 for the City of Vallejo’s Sacramento Street Road Diet Phase II Project
2. $65,000 for the City of Benicia’s Military East / East 5th Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements Project,
3. $125,000 for the County of Solano’s Rockville Parks Crossing Project
4. $97,776 for the City of Dixon’s SR-113 Pedestrian Improvements Project
5. $52,350 for the City of Vacaville’s Markham School Pedestrian Improvements Project
6. $50,000 for the City of Rio Vista’s Bike Lanes on Norman Richardson Drive and Airport Road Project

Draft Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan available for Public Comment

STA and consultants have completed the Draft Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan, and the STA Board has approved distribution for public review. This Plan is meant to be used as a guiding document to define the need, propose a transition timeframe, and provide a year-by-year summary of proposed changes to gradually transition to a 100 percent zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet. The countywide Plan can be used by transit operators and STA to define upcoming needs and apply for funding necessary to accommodate zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleets. The Draft Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan is the culmination of several months of analysis and coordination with each of the five transit operators in Solano County.

The Draft Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan has been released for a 60-day comment period. Click here to view the Draft Solano Countywide Transit Electrification Transition Plan and the Plan Appendices.

STA releases Draft Local Road Safety Plan and Regional Vision Zero Policies for Public Comment

STA, its member agencies, and consultants have drafted a countywide Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP), which provides a framework for organizing stakeholders to systematically identify, analyze, and prioritize roadway safety improvements on local roads. LRSPs work in conjunction with the State's Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), a statewide data-driven traffic safety plan that coordinates the efforts of a wide range of organizations to reduce traffic accident fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. 

An LRSP (or equivalent Systemic Safety Analysis Report [SSAR] or Vision Zero Action Plan program) will be required for the cities of Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, and the County of Solano to be eligible to apply for federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds. 

The Local Road Safety Plan has been released for a 30-day comment period. Click here to view the Solano Local Road Safety Plan. 

STA Board approves Budget for FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24 to fund 56-Item Work Plan

The STA Board approved the updated budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 and initial budget for FY 2023-24. The budget is focused on funding all or components of the STA’s 56-item Overall Work Plan, which was adopted by the STA Board in May, and covers the STA planning, programming, project delivery, and program activity for the next two years. The amended FY 2022-23 Budget totals $36 million and reflects updated revenues and project expenditures for planning, projects, and programs. 

The FY 2023-24 budget is a new $22 million budget which was presented to the Board for the first time. 

STA’s 2022 Federal Priorities Update: STA continues to pursue funding for 2022 Federal Priorities

Earlier this year, the STA Board approved a list of nine initial priorities for federal funding. STA has been working with our partner agencies and project sponsors on each of the nine priorities, which are in various stages of project readiness for delivery of the projects and for submittal for federal funding. Last month, STA received word that three priorities were submitted for earmarks totaling $10 million by Congressmen John Garamendi and Mike Thompson, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. Assemblymember Lori Wilson allocated $1 million to the STA for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure within the current district.

Suisun City’s McCoy Creek Bike & Pedestrian Project Breaks Ground

STA joined Suisun City Council and Staff in celebrating the groundbreaking of Phase 2 of the McCoy Creek Trail Bike and Pedestrian Project. This $4,137,000 project is funded entirely by an Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant through the California Department of Transportation and will connect to another bike and pedestrian connection from the Phase 1 project that was completed in 2008. The ceremony was coordinated by the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) and featured local dignitaries, including Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson, Supervisor Jim Spering, Councilmember Wanda Williams, Councilmember Mike Hudson, former Councilmember Mike Segala, and City Manager Greg Folsom, as well as speakers from the Suisun City Youth Commission.

Solano Mobility Update: First/Last Mile

STA’s First/Last Mile Program connects Solano County commuters who use alternative modes of transportation traveling to and from work with 12 Solano County transit hubs. Solano Mobility has partnered with Lyft to provide 80% off Lyft rides (up to $25) to and from Solano County destinations, including the two Solano County train stations, the SF Bay Ferry, and all Solano County Solano Express bus stops. Commuters must live or work in Solano County and be 18 or older to be eligible. Program participation increased from 501 participants in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-2021 to 658 participants in FY 2021-2022. More information is available at solanomobility.org/program/flm.

Get involved with STA Citizen 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 Fairfield 
• City of Suisun
• City of Rio Vista

Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC)

• City of Dixon 
• City of Vacaville
• 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.

On July 5, Leslie Gould joined STA's Projects department as the new Assistant Project Manager. He is a Suisun City resident and will be supervised by Janet Adams, STA’s Deputy Executive Director/Director for Projects.

Dulce Jimenez was hired to fill the vacant Planning Assistant position and her first day with STA was July 6, 2022. She is also a Suisun City resident and is a recent graduate of U.C. Davis. She will be supervised by Robert Guerrero, Director of Planning.

Suzanne Antone was hired to fill a vacant part-time Safe Routes to Schools Program Coordinator position and her first day with STA was also on July 5, 2022. She is a Benicia resident and will be supervised by Amy Antunano, Senior Program Coordinator for the Safe Routes to Schools Program.