Thanks in part to over $4 million in funds from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, the Solano Transportation Authority has linked underserved parts of the cities of Vallejo and Fairfield to regional public transit services. This funding is supporting the $10.8 million Solano Regional Transit Initiative (SRTI), which is providing residents in Solano county with increased access to faster, more efficient transit options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while connecting them to employment, health, educational, and other facilities that can improve their quality of life.
The first phase of the SRTI include three new projects: a new stop, roadway, and signaling infrastructure for the Solano Express Red Line service in Vallejo; an expansion of the Vallejo Transit Center; and improved bike and pedestrian infrastructure and bus access to the Fairfield Transit Center. As a result of these projects, residents have greater access to Downtown San Francisco, El Cerrito del Norte Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, and the Capitol Corridor Train. Greater transit accessibility will also help Vallejo and Solano County residents connect to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, which is the largest youth employer in Solano County.
Beth Kranda, the Executive Director of Solano County Transit, welcomes the improvements in her jurisdiction: “We are honored to be recipients of the California Climate Investments and partner with the Solano Transportation Authority on phase one of the Solano Regional Transit Improvements. The stop on Fairgrounds and Highway 37 significantly enhanced safe access to transit for the North Vallejo neighborhoods. The York Street expansion of the Vallejo Transit Center has allowed us to welcome Capitol Corridor, Greyhound, Napa Vine and FLIX Bus, as well as plan for our own future expansion, increasing the transportation access throughout Solano county and beyond.”
To identify the sites for transit improvements, Solano Transportation Authority relied on an analysis conducted by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments that prioritized locations that would maximize mobility access for residents living in underserved communities. This analysis considered intersections of income, age, education, health, family, marital status, English language proficiency, vehicle ownership, and rental costs, among other factors.