In this edition
- SolanoExpress Service Enhancements Beginning August 1st
- MTC Releases Recommendations for Federal American Recovery Plan (ARP) Funding for Transit
- I-80 Westbound Cordelia Truck Scales Project advances to Design Phase
- STA to Submit Request to Caltrans for I-80 Managed Lanes in Dixon
- STA Board Approves Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 and 2022-23 Budgets
- First/Last Mile Program Update
- Three Projects Awarded Transit Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Funds Allocation for FY 2021-22
- Solano Mobility Announces Bike Month “Bike Bingo” Winners
- Solano Mobility’s Summer Bucket list Challenge
- STA Advisory Committee Openings
- Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Update
- STA Staff Update
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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.
Please sign up here to receive this newsletter directly in your inbox.
- None (STA Board Meeting will resume in September)
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SolanoExpress Service Enhancements Beginning August 1st
Beginning August 1, 2021, SolanoExpress is increasing capacity and partially restoring its intercity bus service from 44,500 hours to 62,500 hours across its Blue, Red, Yellow and Green Express lines. These service enhancements were proposed and adopted by the STA Board following a public hearing at the June 9th meeting. SolanoExpress buses are back to operating at full capacity with capacity restrictions lifted. Face masks are still required while riding on SolanoExpress buses per CDC guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to expanded service, the following service enhancements will also go into effect:
- The Yellow Line (Route Y) is increasing service from two-hour to one-hour frequency.
- More trips are being added to the Red Line (Route R), as well as its Route 82.
- There will be increased service on the Blue Line (Route B), as well as transition of service from Pleasant Hill BART to Walnut Creek BART.
- The Green Express (Route GX) will also have increased service.
To view the revised service changes, visit solanoexpress.com or call the Solano Mobility Call Center at 800-535-6883.
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MTC Releases Recommendations for Federal American Recovery Plan (ARP) Funding for Transit
At the end of June, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) announced its recommendations for allocation of Federal American Recovery Plan (ARP) funding for the nine county Bay Area region and its 27 transit operators. MTC recommended allocating $10.9 million to Solano County’s five transit operators to be coordinated by the STA, with an initial first allocation of funding of $6.5 million to be allocated in September and a second wave of the remaining ARP funds to be allocated later during FY 2021-22. The coordination between STA and transit operators will help insure coordination of funding between SolanoExpress countywide service and local transit services.
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I-80 Westbound Cordelia Truck Scales Project advances to Design Phase |
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At the July 14th meeting, the STA Board authorized STA to contract design services with WMH Corporation for the I-80 Westbound Cordelia Truck Scales Project, a part of the I-80/I-680/SR 12 Interchange Project, Phase 2. The I-80 Westbound Truck Scales Project was recently awarded a competitive SB 1 funded Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) grant to fund the $29.27 million design phase for the project. The Design Phase will be implemented jointly by STA and Caltrans. |
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STA to Submit Request to Caltrans for I-80 Managed Lanes in Dixon
The STA Board also authorized STA staff to submit a request to Caltrans District 4 and Caltrans headquarters to initiate a Project Study Report (PSR)/Project Initiation Document (PID) to create I-80 Managed Lanes between I-505 and Solano/Yolo County line. Last year, STA and Caltrans District 4 received Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) grant funding for the construction of the I-80 Managed Lanes Project from Air Base Parkway in Fairfield to east of I-505 in Vacaville, scheduled to start construction in 2022. Last month, Yolo County was awarded a federal Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to construct the I-80 Managed Lanes project from West Sacramento to Davis, which is currently being environmentally cleared by Caltrans District 3. With both segments scheduled for construction in the next few years, creating I-80 Managed Lanes in Dixon would prevent a managed lanes gap and potential traffic chokepoint in the segment of I-80 east of I-505 to the Yolo County line, helping to maintain express bus service and carpool/vanpool time saving advantages.
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STA Board Approves Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 and 2022-23 Budgets
The STA Board approved the updated budget for FY 2021-22 and developed the initial budget for FY 2022-23. The updated FY 2021-22 budget has increased from $29.67 million to $37.09 million, due to the addition of new programs and projects, including the I-80 Westbound Truck Scales and I-80 Managed Lanes Projects. The initial budget for FY 2022-23 is $22.61 million.
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First/Last Mile Program Update
In partnership with the City of Benicia and SolTrans, the STA Board approved the expansion of the First/Last Mile Program in Benicia to include a $5 one-way ride for residents traveling within the Benicia city limits using a code on the Lyft app. The First/Last Mile Program was developed to help commuters get to/from work using alternate modes of transportation by helping with the first and last leg of their trip. In Benicia, the First/Last Mile Program continues to offer rides around Benicia to veterans, American Disabilities Act (ADA) eligible individuals, and older adults for a standard $4 rate or $3 low-income rate.
The STA partnered with Lyft in May 2017 and launched the First/Last Mile Pilot Program in Solano County. Currently, there are 310 active participants registered for the First/Last Mile Program countywide, up from 81 users in 2019 with just over 5000 rides taken to date. For more information about the First/Last Mile Program, please visit www.solanomobility.org or call the Solano Mobility Call Center at 800-535-6883.
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Three Projects Awarded Transit Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Funds Allocation for FY 2021-22
At the July 14 meeting, the STA Board approved programming $406,683 in FY 2021-22 TDA Article 3 funding for three projects that will improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the cities of Benicia and Vallejo, and the County of Solano:
- $200,000 to the City of Benicia for the Military West Bike and Pedestrian Project;
- $73,093 to the City of Vallejo for the Sacramento Street Road Diet Project; and
- $133,590 to the County of Solano’s Benicia Road Complete Streets Project.
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Solano Mobility Announces Bike Month “Bike Bingo” Winners
2021 marked the 27th annual Bike To Work Day (BTWD) campaign in the Bay Area. Traditionally, BTWD is a celebration to encourage cycling as a fun and healthy way to commute to work. Because of the continued COVID-19 pandemic, this year BTWD encouraged biking activity in general during the month of May’s Bike Month. In partnership with the Solano County cities, the STA’s Solano Mobility Program celebrated this year’s Bike Month by hosting a Bike Bingo event tailored for each of the seven cities. From 125 Bike Month participants, STA’s Solano Mobility Program would like to congratulate three Bike Bingo winners, Jeanie Hunter (Rio Vista), Ron Gervasoni (Vallejo), and Dan Wanberg (Vacaville)!
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Solano Mobility’s Summer Bucket List Challenge
Solano Mobility has created a bucket list of mobility and recreational activities to do around Solano County this summer. Visit SolanoMobility.org to download their Solano Summer Bucket List and take the challenge!
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STA Advisory Committee Openings
STA’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) and Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) are looking to add new members. Advisory Committee members are responsible for updating and monitoring the progress of the Active Transportation Plan (Solano County’s bike and pedestrian network) and make funding recommendations for countywide pedestrian/bicycle-related projects to the STA Board of Directors and member agencies. Below is a list of committee vacancies.
- (Pedestrian Advisory Committee) City of Dixon
- (Pedestrian Advisory Committee) Member-at-Large
- (Pedestrian Advisory Committee) Member-at-Large (Solano Community College)
- (Bicycle Advisory Committee) City of Fairfield
Interested persons can fill out the online application here and submit their application for PAC positions to the lead STA staff for the PAC, Planning Assistant Kathrina Gregana, at kgregana@sta.ca.gov. Applicants for the BAC position are asked to submit their completed form to the lead STA staff for the BAC, Planning Assistant Brent Rosenwald, at brosenwald@sta.ca.gov.
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Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Update
The Safe Routes to School (SR2S) team is busy preparing for the new school year as plans are being finalized for students’ return to campus. SR2S coordinators are reaching out to schools to help support new school drop-off and pick-up procedures and offer COVID friendly SR2S programs for students. Check out the SR2S website to see how SR2S can help your students get to and from school safely.
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STA Staff Update
Deepka Tewari joined the Solano Mobility Call Center as the new Customer Service Representative on June 23. She has over five years of customer service experience and takes pride in serving her community. Deepka is a resident of Suisun City and has recently graduated from Sacramento State. Welcome to STA, Deepka!
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