Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Construction on Walnut Blvd. Bikeway Gap Closure Project June 24-July 22

By Leave a Comment

Expect delays of up to 10 minutes between Marsh Creek and Vasco Roads

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works

June 18, 2024 – Unincorporated Brentwood, CA – Contra Costa County Public Works will begin construction of the Walnut Boulevard Bikeway Gap Closure Project on Monday, June 24, 2024, through Monday, July 22, 2024, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will occur between 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting.

Traffic control will be used. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Drivers should expect delays of up to 10 minutes through the construction zone and consider alternative routes during working hours.

The work consists of roadway shoulder widening along an 860-foot segment of Walnut Boulevard between Marsh Creek Road and Vasco Road to provide Class II bike lanes, grinding and overlaying the roadway pavement section, and installing a centerline rumble strip, striping, pavement markings, and signage.

Funding for this project is provided by a State Highway Safety Improvement Program grant, local Transportation Development Act grant and Gas Tax Funds. For more information visit: www.contracosta.ca.gov/9899/Walnut-Blvd-Bikeway-Gap-Closure.

Paving work for Alamo Roundabout Project June 20 – July 17

By Leave a Comment

Alamo Roundabout Project Location map. Source: CCC Public Works

Expect up to 15-minute traffic delays

Part of the Danville Boulevard/Orchard Court Complete Streets Improvement Project

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works

Alamo, CA – Contra Costa County Public Works will perform surface treatment work as part of the Alamo Roundabout Project starting Thursday, June 20, 2024, through Wednesday, July 17, 2024, weather permitting. Message Boards will be posted in advance to advise of the scheduled work. Drivers should expect delays of up to 15 minutes near the area of work. Work consists of applying a pavement surface treatment and final roadway striping along Danville Blvd. from Stone Valley Road to St. Alphonsus Way.

Thursday, June 20, 2024, through Friday, June 28, 2024, 8:00 pm to 6:00 am: Night-time work will include pavement surface treatment work. One-way traffic control will be implemented, and flaggers will be present.

Monday, July 8, 2024, through Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 8:00 pm to 6:00 am: Night-time work will take place for roadway striping operations. One-way traffic control will be implemented, and flaggers will be present.

The Danville Boulevard/Orchard Court Complete Streets Improvement Project-Alamo Roundabout Project will improve safety of vehicles, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic along Danville Boulevard. The project will construct sidewalks and bicycle facilities, improve landscaping and electrical work, reconstruct pavement, apply a pavement surface treatment, replace traffic striping and pavement markings, and install curb extensions and ramps along this segment of Danville Boulevard. It will also create a roundabout at the intersection of Danville Boulevard and Orchard Court. Funding for this project is provided by the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grant, Measure J Regional Funds, and Gas Tax Funds. For more project information about this project visit: www.contracosta.ca.gov/alamoroundabout.

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at www.cccpublicworks.org.

Concord: Traffic delays from construction on Walnut Creek Desilt Project begin Monday

By Leave a Comment

Walnut Creek Desilt Project work area map. Source: CCC Public Works

For 3 ½ months on the portion of the creek that runs through northern section of Concord

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works

Contra Costa County Public Works will begin construction of the Walnut Creek Desilt Project on Monday, June 17, 2024, through Thursday, October 31, 2024, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will take place between 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting.

Drivers should expect delays of 5-15 minutes at Meridian Park Boulevard and Willow Way, Via de Mercados to Concord Avenue, and Waterworld Parkway to Willow Pass Road and should consider alternate routes during construction. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Traffic control will be used. Restrictions will be in place to minimize impacts during commute hours.

The work consists of removing approximately 115,000 cubic yards of silt in the Walnut Creek Channel to restore creek flow capacity. Funding for this project is provided by Flood Control Zone 3B Funds. For more information visit: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/8658/Walnut-Creek-Desilt

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org

Contra Costa paratransit services get $1 million boost

By Leave a Comment

US DOT awards Contra Costa Transportation Authority SMART grant to transform transportation for seniors and those with disabilities

By Lindy Johnson, Director of External Affairs, Contra Costa Transportation Authority

WALNUT CREEK, CA – Thanks to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) now has a $1 million boost to enhance mobility options for seniors and those with disabilities. County of Contra Costa officials gathered in Walnut Creek today as US Representative Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced the federal Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) award. The SMART grant funding will be used to implement a centralized call center with access to all relevant transportation data, so seniors and paratransit users can make real time transit choices through an Accessibility Application (App). The primary goal of creating an Accessibility App is to address equity and access through data sharing and will to transform transit to better serve seniors and those with disabilities.

“The Accessibility App is a much-needed virtual tool as many transit agencies do not have paratransit or other accessible transit data with real-time service options,” CCTA Chair Newell Arnerich said. “Transit should be easy, accessible and efficient. Our new technology will enable transit operators to make the best use of passenger’s specific needs, so they can provide easy to access options for the most vulnerable members of our county.”

“There is a growing trend in the transit service industry to develop and use data to help enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and foster innovation,” CCTA Executive Director Tim Haile said. “CCTA is partnering with research engineers at UC Berkeley to use data to build the Accessibility App which will be made possible thanks to the SMART grant.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) discretionary grant program with $100 million appropriated annually for fiscal years (FY) 2022-2026.

The SMART program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

Applying for a SMART grant is a competitive process, whereupon applications from all over the US are reviewed. Of the hundreds of applications submitted for funding, the US Department of Transportation saw the value in CCTA’s Accessibility App project and chose to support its development by awarding the project a $1 million grant.

“I am proud to have advocated for this funding for Contra Costa Transportation Authority that will help improve transportation accessibility and efficiency for members of our community, including seniors and individuals with disabilities,” said DeSaulnier. “I look forward to continuing to support CCTA as it implements this important App and continues its efforts to create a more convenient, accessible, and equitable transportation system across our district.”

County Supervisor Ken Carlson was on hand Friday to publicize existing pilot programs aimed to make transit easier for seniors and paratransit passengers. CCTA has partnered with other entities, such as the City of San Pablo, to connect senior and disabled transportation from San Pablo directly to county medical facilities in Martinez. CCTA also supports the Low-Income Fare Equity (LIFE) program to provide free rides to eligible paratransit users who are low-income earners.

The public can find out full details about CCTA’s existing and future accessibility programs as by going to https://ccta.net/accessibility/.

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority:

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of 24 people managing a multi-billion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding, and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Bay Area “Transit Transformation” gets $18 million boost

By Leave a Comment

First commitments spur near-term projects to improve bus, light rail service

County Connection’s routes in Concord’s Monument Corridor will benefit from more reliable service, reduced travel times

By John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications and Khristina Wenzinger, Principal, Public Information, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission

SAN FRANCISCO – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) last week approved an $18.3 million allocation to fund eight near-term transit priority projects in Concord, other East Bay cities, San Jose, San Francisco and Redwood City. These investments are the first to be made through the $30 million Bus Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery (BusAID) program established as part of the Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan to implement quick-build solutions designed to improve service at problem ‘hotspot’ locations identified by transit agencies throughout the region.

What Does Transit Transformation Mean?

  • Design, adequately invest in and effectively manage a public transit network that is equitable, inclusive, frequent, affordable, accessible and reliable.
  • Integrate with unified service, fares, schedules, customer information and identity.
  • Serve all Bay Area populations, resulting in increased transit ridership and reduced growth in vehicle miles traveled.

The Action Plan aims to improve the Bay Area’s public transportation network to create a more user-friendly and connected system. It identifies key targets and actions to make this vision a reality.

Map of County Connection’s routes in the Monument Corridor. Source: Central Contra Costa Transit Authority

Approved Projects

Each of the eight approved projects is slated for completion in the next one to three years:

  • Monument Corridor Transit Speed Improvements (Concord): This project will transit priority signals along Monument Boulevard between Detroit Avenue and Mohr Lane, and will relocate and reconfigure bus stops to improve efficiency and accessibility. County Connection routes 11, 14, 16, 311, 314, 611, 613, 616 and 619 will benefit from more reliable service and reduced travel times.(See pages 5-2 & 5-3 of the Monument Corridor Community-Based Transportation Final Plan)
  • Park Street Transit Signal Priority and Signal Optimization (Alameda): this project will install transit signal priority and optimize signal timing at four intersections along Park Street from Alameda Avenue to Otis Drive, reducing delays for AC Transit routes 20, 21, OX and 663.
  • International Boulevard Transit Lane Delineation (Oakland): this project will reduce delays for AC Transit’s Tempo (1T) line, reduce speeding by drivers on non-transit vehicles and improve corridor safety between 14th Avenue and 42nd Avenue through the installation of vertical treatments to separate the existing bus lanes from general purpose lanes, and by painting the bus lanes red to deter non-transit vehicles from using the bus lanes.
  • El Camino Real Bus Boarding Islands & Bus Stop Balancing (Redwood City): To reduce delay for SamTrans routes ECR, 79, 270, 278, 295, 296, 2960 and 397, this project will fund the planning and design of bus boarding islands at stops along El Camino Real between Whipple Avenue and Dumbarton Avenue in Redwood City and unincorporated North Fair Oaks.
  • K-Ingleside Rapid Project Ocean Avenue Quick Build (San Francisco): Spanning Ocean Avenue from Junipero Serra Blvd. to Geneva Avenue, this project will increase service reliability and reduce travel times for Muni’s K-Ingleside light rail line by installing longer and wider boarding islands, adding red transit lanes, and implementing signal timing refinements and turn restrictions.
  • VTA Frequent Network Cloud-Based Transit Signal Priority (San Jose): This project will install next-generation transit signal priority at 174 intersections along VTA’s Frequent Network in San Jose, reducing delays for numerous bus routes, including 25, 26, 61, 64A, 64B, 70, 71, 72, 73, 77 and 500.
  • Vision Zero Senter Road East San Jose Safety Corridor Project (San Jose): This project will reduce delays for VTA routes 70, 72 and 73 by installing bus boarding islands along Senter Road between Story Road and Monterey Road.
  • Alvarado-Niles Road Part-Time Transit Lane Pilot (Union City): To reduce congestion-related delays for AC Transit route 97 and Union City Transit routes 1, 3 and 5, this project will install for a two-year pilot period a part-time transit lane along Alvarado-Niles Road from Decoto Road to Almaden Boulevard, providing buses with a dedicated lane during hours with peak traffic congestion.

MTC approved funding for these projects at its regularly scheduled May meeting, after each had been endorsed last month by the multi-agency Regional Network Management Council. Project recommendations were developed based on a two-stage screening process that evaluated potential rider benefits (time savings), equity considerations, and feasibility and readiness. Each project will include pre- and post-implementation evaluation to quantify project benefits. The remaining balance of $12 million in BusAID funding will be used for future funding rounds, when additional projects are identified and ready for implementation.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Caltrans owns and operates the state highway system.

Allen D. Payton contribute to this report.

State allocates $10.2 million for Contra Costa transportation improvements

By Leave a Comment

Nearly $2 billion in statewide investments to improve, protect state’s infrastructure

By Edward Barrera, Division Chief of Public Affairs, California Department of Transportation 

SACRAMENTO — Earlier this month, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) allocated $1.9 billion to support transportation infrastructure projects that play a starring role in powering the world’s fifth largest economy. The approved funding provides significant investments for bridges, roadways, transit and improved facilities for people who walk and bike.

The latest allocations also include nearly $430 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $740 million via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

A total of $10.183 million was allocated for improvements in Contra Costa County with most of it for 20 miles of BART track and $3.6 million for I-680 in San Ramon and Danville.

Among the efforts spurred by the $1.9 billion commitment include several projects prioritizing the state’s vital bridge network, highlighted more than $4 million to repair bridge damage along Interstate 80 in Alameda County.

Also included are projects that will build or renovate shoreline embankments, bus, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and railroad overcrossings.

“California’s transportation infrastructure is critical to the economic and cultural lifeblood of our state, and this funding provides key support in our mission to provide a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system for all users,” said Tony Tavares, Caltrans Director.

Contra Costa County Projects

  • $6 million allocation for BART Expansion and Contraction of Steel Rail in Contra Costa County which will destress twenty miles of rail track within the BART operating corridor that has been identified as being affected by such conditions in Contra Costa County. (Funding description and source: Locally-Administered Local Transportation Climate Adaptation Program Project off the State Highway System – Resolution LTCAP-A-2324-04)
  • $3.6 million allocation for I-680 in San Ramon and Danville, from Alcosta Boulevard to north of Diablo Road. Rehabilitate pavement, upgrade guardrail, and upgrade facilities to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
  • $500,000 allocation for the Pavement Resurfacing Project, which will focus on applying pavement rehabilitation treatments in various streets located in the southeast area of the City of Martinez to improve the City’s overall pavement condition index and reduce on-going maintenance. Project will also include ADA curb ramp improvements, restoration of vehicle detection sensors at signalized intersections, striping restoration, and green infrastructure improvements. (Funding description and source: Locally-Administered SB 1 Local Partnership Program (LPP) (Formulaic) Projects Off the State Highway System – Resolution LPP-A-2324-38)
  • $83,000 allocation for the Morello Avenue sidewalk gap closure in Martinez will address gaps of concrete sidewalk on the east side of Morello Avenue, south of Village Oaks Drive; and the east side of Morello Avenue, north of Arnold Drive. Improvements will also new curb and gutter, and a new ADA curb ramp at the southeast corner of Morello Avenue/Village Oaks Drive. (Funding description and source: Locally-Administered SB 1 LPP (Formulaic) Projects Off the State Highway System – Resolution LPP-A-2324-38)

The Contra Costa projects funded are among multiple approved projects in District 4 – Bay Area / Oakland which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties.

IIJA, known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. Since 2021, California has received more than $42 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $29 billion for transportation-related projects.

In addition, SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding each year that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including those partially funded by SB 1.

See the complete list of the latest CTC-approved projects in each of the other nine Caltrans Districts in the state:

District 1 – Eureka (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino counties)

District 2 – Redding (Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties)

District 3 – Marysville / Sacramento (Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties)

District 5 – San Luis Obispo / Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties)

District 6 – Fresno / Bakersfield (Kings, Tulare, Fresno, Madera and Kern counties)

District 7 – Los Angeles (Los Angeles and Ventura counties)

District 8 – Riverside and San Bernardino counties

District 9 – Bishop (Inyo, Kern and Mono counties)

District 10 – Stockton (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties)

District 11 – San Diego (San Diego and Imperial counties)

District 12 – Orange County

For more information about California transportation projects funded by IIJA and SB-1, visit RebuildingCA.ca.gov and www.build.ca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Public asked to participate in CalTrans test on DeSaulnier’s per mile “Road Charge” to replace gas tax

By Leave a Comment

Video screenshot source: Caltrans

Due to purchase and use of hybrid and electric vehicles

Receive up to $400 in gift cards for 6-month Pilot program beginning Aug. 2024

By Allen D. Payton

Caltrans has launched a test on the proposed per mile Road Charge to possibly replace the state’s current gas tax and invites the state’s drivers to participate. The Pilot program will last six months and participants can earn up to $400 in gift cards.

With the passage of Senate Bill 1077 introduced in 2014 by then-State Senator (now-Congressman) Mark DeSaulnier, California began investigating a long-term, sustainable transportation funding mechanism as a potential replacement to the gas tax, known as a “road charge” due to the advent of hybrid and electric vehicles. As of 2022, state officials estimate that there were about 1.1 million electric cars and 1.3 million hybrids on California roads.

Source: Caltrans

Taking direction from the Legislature, California completed the largest road charge research effort to date piloting more than 5,000 vehicles that reported in excess of 37 million miles over a nine-month duration. According to the program’s report, the statistics only serve to reinforce Californians’ desire for mobility, a safe and reliable transportation system, and an improved overall quality of life. Below please find the California State Transportation Agency’s release of the California Road Charge Pilot Program final report.

History of Transportation Funding

According to the Road Charge Pilot Program Summary Report, Nearly all of the 350 billion miles driven each year on California’s highways and roads are  powered by gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles. Historically, the taxes on those fuels provided the majority of the revenue required to maintain and operate our transportation network. As future consumption of gasoline and diesel fuel declines, due to increased fleet efficiency, California will be challenged to sustain its $2.5 trillion economy. Continuing to depend on a consumption-based transportation model, while at the same time adopting policies to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and promote the reduction of vehicle miles traveled, puts into question the long-term viability of the gas tax as a sustainable revenue model.

Source: Caltrans

Historically, transportation funding has been impacted by two main factors: inflation and vehicle fuel efficiency. Until this year, with the passage of the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 1), the state gas tax had not been adjusted for inflation since 1994, which significantly reduced its purchasing power. Senate Bill 1 adjusted fuel rates for past inflation and includes future inflation adjustments: hence, solving the inflation issue and delaying the expected transportation funding shortage by a decade or more. However, the impact of improving vehicle fuel efficiency remains an issue, especially as new vehicles sold in the coming decades are expected to be much more fuel efficient.

The report claims, “Without Senate Bill 1’s inflation adjustments, the transportation funding shortfall would be quickly approaching. The new Senate Bill 1 revenues, as illustrated in Figure 1, stabilize the state’s short-term transportation infrastructure funding needs and provides time to explore alternatives to continued reliance on fuel taxes.”

Source: Caltrans

How Transportation Funding Works

Currently, it costs approximately $8.5 billion annually to maintain California’s roads.

  • Approximately 80% of highway and road repairs are funded by a tax on gasoline charged at the pump when you buy gas. The more gas you buy, the more you pay in gas taxes and the more you contribute to highway and road repairs.
  • On average, Californians pay about $300 a year in state gas taxes.
  • Various state fees also support transportation. Trucks pay weight fees and zero-emission vehicle owners pay $118 each year, and all vehicle owners pay a transportation improvement fee.
  • Some counties also charge a local sales tax to further invest in road and transit needs or have tolls on bridges or certain highways.
  • The public may also pass state bonds to invest in additional transportation needs.

What is Road Charge?

California relies on gas tax and other fuel tax revenues to fund its roadway maintenance and repairs. But as cars get more fuel efficient or use other energy sources, such as electricity and hydrogen, the gas tax will no longer fund the infrastructure California needs. California is researching a potential gas tax replacement that’s both sustainable and equitable: road charge. A road charge is a “user pays” system where all drivers pay to maintain the roads based on how much they drive, rather than how much gas they purchase. Under a road charge, all drivers share roadway maintenance and repair costs based on what they actually use. (https://dot.ca.gov/programs/road-charge)

  • California could replace the gas tax with a mileage-based user fee charged to drivers who use the roads. The more you drive, the more you pay for highway and road repairs. The less you drive, the less you pay.
  • Everyone would pay their fair share for road repairs based on how much they drive, not the kind of car they own.
  • California is working to develop a road charge program that is fair, transparent, and sustainable so that it meets our road maintenance needs now and in the future.

Most States Pursuing Vehicle Miles Traveled Taxes

According to the Tax Foundation, most states are taking steps toward a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax. “Oregon was the first state to begin research into VMT taxes in 2001 and was the first to implement a program in 2015. Four states now have active programs for passenger vehicles and four other states have active programs targeting heavy commercial vehicles (Oregon has both), with pilot programs carried out in 16 states. Only Hawaii has a mandatory program, which requires EVs to participate by 2028 and all light vehicles by 2033.”

Video screenshot source: Caltrans

Calculator Compares Road Charge vs. State Fuel Tax Costs

The “Road Charge” vs. gas tax calculator for a sample cost comparison of paying the current gas tax of $0.579 per gallon as of July 1, 2023, versus a per mile road charge offers options of $0.02, $0.03 and $0.04. At two cents per mile the Total Monthly Road Charge would be less than the Total Monthly State Fuel Tax for a gas-powered vehicle. But at three cents per mile, the monthly cost of the Road Charge would be greater than the current fuel tax.

For a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV driven an average of 1,000 miles per month the Road Charge annual costs would be $240 at two cents, $360 at three cents and $480 at four cents per mile versus the current $118 annual fee. The calculator “Does not include any federal or local taxes” and shows, “Rates are hypothetical and would be set by the California Legislature.”

Video screenshot source: Caltrans

Participate in 2024 Road Charge Collection Pilot

The Road Charge policy idea is still being explored and developed. The public’s input and ideas can help inform what the best way might be to implement a program in California. Drivers are asked to participate in the 2024 Road Charge Collection Pilot and earn up to $400!

  • Receive up to $400* in gift cards
  • Participate for 6 months; Aug 2024 – Jan 2025
  • Pay road charges each month
  • Gas tax refunded end of pilot
  • Take 2 surveys to tell us about your pilot experience

*Complete all required activities throughout the Pilot and earn up to $400: $100 distributed in September 2024 and up to $300 will be distributed in February 2025.

To learn more and participate in the pilot program visit https://caroadcharge.com/engage/contact-us-pilot/, call (916) 619-6283 toll-free or email info@caroadcharge.com.

 

 

South Gate Road to Mt. Diablo closed weekdays for 5 weeks starting May 28

By Leave a Comment

Source: CA State Parks

ROAD CLOSURE STARTS TUESDAY for construction of new bike turnouts

By CA State Parks

Starting Tuesday, May 28 South Gate Road will be closed weekdays to all traffic including cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Each week for approximately five weeks, the road will be closed from Monday 8 a.m. through Friday 2 p.m. It will be open weekends.

All trails and fire roads will remain open, and visitors who walk or cycle to the park will be able to access Summit Trail at the South Gate Entrance.

During the road closure period, camping at Live Oak Campground, and the Buckeye, Wildcat, and Barbecue Terrace Group Camps will only be available Friday and Saturday nights.

This closure is for the construction of additional bike turnout lanes to enhance road safety. This latest phase of the project was made possible by fundraising coordinated by our partner organization California State Parks Foundation.

Yellow circle indicates South Gate Road entrance. Map source: CA State Parks

There are three other entrances to Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon Road, North Gate Road and Green Valley Road (Macedo Ranch). Please check under Brochures/Campground Map for more details. There is no vehicle access to the Summit from Macedo Ranch or Mitchell Canyon.

Thank you for your cooperation during this temporary closure.

For more information about Mt. Diablo click, here.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Contra Costa bus systems offer Summer Youth Bus Pass for unlimited rides June 1 to Aug 31, 2023

By Leave a Comment

Half-off passes on sale now through June 30th only.

Kids don’t want to be stuck at home for the summer, and parents don’t want to be stuck driving everywhere.

Give your kids their own set of wheels with a Summer Youth Bus Pass.

The Summer Youth Pass is the perfect way for youth riders to get around Contra Costa County during the summer. Passholders can take unlimited rides on Tri Delta Transit, West CAT, and County Connection local and express buses for an affordable and discounted price.

For only $30*, youth 6-18 can take unlimited bus rides from June 1 through Aug. 31, 2023 – one of the best summertime bargains for getting around Contra Costa County!

Click here to purchase your pass https://511cc.org/youthpass or come to our office.

*Actual pass price $60. Advertised $30 price reflects a $30 supplement per pass provided by 511 Contra Costa. Passes receiving the 511 Contra Costa supplement are limited in quantity and available only while supplies last.

 

WETA includes four more Contra Costa ferry stops in 2050 Service Vision

By Leave a Comment

Source: WETA

Terminals proposed in Hercules, Martinez, Pittsburg and Antioch; plus, additional route for existing Richmond terminal

“A Vision for Water-Based Transportation and Emergency Response on the San Francisco Bay”

By Allen D. Payton

The Bay Area’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) board adopted the 2050 Service Vision and Expansion Policy during its meeting on Thursday, May 9 and the plan includes future, possible stations in Hercules, Martinez, Pittsburg and Antioch. Also included is an additional route for the existing terminal in Richmond, which currently offers WETA’s only ferry service in Contra Costa County.

The plan includes two tiers, with the four additional Contra Costa terminals in Tier 2 which will be added based on demand and current, technological barriers to service. The Vision includes one route between the San Francisco Ferry Building to the Hercules terminal and a separate route to and from the Martinez, Pittsburg and Antioch terminals.

The Vision explains that first, “WETA will enhance existing route frequency to continue growing markets for all-day service.” Then, “WETA will expand by implementing the Tier 1 projects from the map including regional priority projects such as those included in regional plans – including Mission Bay and Treasure Island to the San Francisco Ferry Building, Berkeley to San Francisco, and Oakland to Redwood City.”

That will be followed by WETA exploring “development of Tier 2 projects from the map to further expand the reach of the ferry system as market demand matures and technologies evolve to overcome current barriers to operating service.”

In the plan, “WETA will provide at minimum three types of service on the ferry network: Local service consisting of short distance trips connecting dense urban hubs; Regional service consisting of medium and long-distance trips connecting activity centers; and Special Event service to major venues with existing terminals.”

In addition, “WETA will electrify the ferry system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

According to their website, “Water transit is a vital part of life in the San Francisco Bay Area. WETA has been developing a shared vision of the San Francisco Bay Area ferry system in 2050, including the level of service and extent of WETA ferry operations and emergency response.

This ‘Service Vision’ informs how WETA operates in the future and what changes will need to be made to get there. The vision will serve as the foundation of WETA’s Business Plan, which will present the specific strategies and actions required to achieve the 2050 Service Vision. Strategies and goals are divided across six Focus Areas.

This service visioning effort is a unique opportunity to re-imagine water transit and address emerging priorities concerning the environment, equity, economic development, emergency response and quality of life throughout the Bay Area.”

According to the staff report for the agenda item #11, the plan was “developed to define a long-term service vision based on input from agency stakeholders, the public, and other parties with an interest in the future of the agency. The goal of this project is to create clear direction for the agency and its staff concerning future expansion efforts, prioritize the use of limited funds, identify resource needs, and help build a broad coalition to advocate for future investment in the regional ferry network. The WETA Board received a presentation on a draft Policy at its last meeting in April 2024. Following that meeting, staff incorporated comments from Directors into the final 2050 Service Vision and Expansion Policy—including more detailed information about emergency response and first/last mile connections.

During an initial stakeholder and public outreach effort in 2021, staff identified six focus areas

for consideration in the Business Plan. These include:

  1. Regional Ferry Network
  2. Emergency Response
  3. Environmental Stewardship
  4. Community Connections
  5. Organizational Capacity
  6. Financial Capacity

At Business Plan Workshop #1 held in August 2022, the Board identified a set of network expansion concepts for consideration in defining a 2050 Service Vision. Staff undertook a technical evaluation of these concepts and conducted broad stakeholder and public engagement to create a proposal to develop a draft 2050 Service Vision that was presented to the Board during Workshop #2 in April 2023.

Upon receiving direction from the Board to look more broadly at opportunities to expand the ferry network, staff worked with its consultant team to incorporate this feedback into an updated draft 2050 Service Vision and set of feasibility criteria for future expansion projects.

The draft service vision and feasibility criteria were refined upon review with key project stakeholders, the Community and Business Advisory Groups, and the WETA Business Plan Subcommittee. A consistent source of feedback during the outreach process was support for a WETA pilot program to test the feasibility of new technologies and emerging markets. The product of this process is the final 2050 Service Vision and Expansion Policy.”

The Vision also includes Terminal Rehabilitation & Replacement, improvements to Terminal Access, encouraging Transit-Supportive Land Uses in close proximity to each candidate ferry terminal, and Emergency Response. “WETA serves as the coordinator of water-based emergency response activities in the Bay Area in the event of a major disaster or disruptive event. In this capacity, WETA will work closely with the California Office of Emergency Services and/or the United States Coast Guard and will be directed to perform activities coordinated on a regional and state-wide basis. These include deploying WETA’s fleet resources to evacuate dangerous areas, to move first responders, and to deliver needed supplies. WETA will coordinate with other regional maritime partners to add to this fleet response, and terminal facilities must have sufficient capacity and facilities to accommodate these partner vessels. All new expansion terminals must be designed and built to Essential Facilities Standards. Emergency service to individual terminals will be guided based on state and regional direction.”

In addition to Thursday’s meeting, WETA held a public Board of Directors workshop on the 2050 Service Vision in April. The service vision evaluation memo and presentation slides are available, here:

Here’s the public survey summary report, first published in May 2023.

To learn more about the project, visit Bay Ferry 2050 microsite where you can subscribe to updates, share your feedback and more.