FasTrak Tags Now Available at Suisun City Train Station

Commuting drivers can now purchase a FasTrak toll tag at the Suisun City Train Station as part of the Bay Area Toll Authority's effort to expand the retail locations for the automatic tolling device. >> Map to Train Station >>

The FasTrak transponder can be purchased at the Transit Information Center in the Train Station staffed by the Rio Vista Delta Breeze. Until July 15, new customers who pick up a FasTrak toll tag can get up to $10 in free tolls.

"With the toll tags available at the Suisun/Fairfield Amtrak Station and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport, central Solano County bridge commuters have another location where FasTrak enrollment can become more convenient," said Solano County Supervisor and Bay Area Toll Authority member Jim Spering. "And convenience is really what FasTrak is all about. Because FasTrak customers prepay their tolls, they don't have to stop to pay cash at a toll booth. The correct toll is deducted electronically from a customer's prepaid account when they pass through the toll plaza. Having the tags available at the Suisun/Fairfield Amtrak Station and Rio Vista Municipal Airport is especially timely for carpool commuters because they will have to use FasTrak to qualify for the new discounted carpool toll that begins July 1."

The new $2.50 carpool toll, which is half of the new $5 regular toll (and a $3.50 discount off the new $6 peak-period toll on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge), will be assessed for carpool vehicles that cross the region's state-owned toll bridges in designated carpool lanes on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

July 1 also will mark the debut of congestion pricing—also known as time-of-day pricing—on the Bay Bridge, which is by far the region's busiest toll bridge. Beginning July 1, auto tolls on the Bay Bridge will vary from $4 during weekday off-peak hours, to $5 all day on Saturdays and Sundays, and to $6 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The regular auto toll will rise to $5 from the current $4 at all times on the six other state-owned toll bridges: the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges.

For Rio Vista Delta Breeze transit route and schedule information, call (707) 374-2878 or 511 and say "Rio Vista Transit." You can also visit Rio Vista Delta Breeze on the internet at www.deltabreeze.org. Rio Vista Delta Breeze is a service of the City of Rio Vista.

Railroad work to impact Capitol Corridor schedules

For all of our local Capitol Corridor commuters and other riders, we wanted to pass along this info from today's Vacaville Reporter and this Capitol Corridor link for more info:

Union Pacific Railroad will begin Phase 1 of a two-phase track infrastructure project, which will affect Capitol Corridor service.

Starting Monday (Jan. 18), Phase I involves upgrading tracks between Capitol Corridor's Suisun/Fairfield and Sacramento stations.

To accommodate work crews, from Monday through Feb. 14, Capitol Corridor will run on a modified schedule and a bus bridge from Sacramento to Suisun will be in effect for some late-morning and mid-day trains.

This work is designed to keep the railroad in good condition so trains can operate safely and reliably.

Four trains will be suspended during the construction period to give Union Pacific extra time to work. Eastbound trains No. 534 and No. 746 and Westbound trains No. 533 and No. 745 will not operate Monday to Feb. 14.

Some changes to connecting motorcoach bus service will also occur as a result of the work.

Temporary train schedules are available at staffed stations or online at www.capitolcorridor.org. Passengers may also call (877) 974-3322 for assistance.

Historic Steam Engine Coming Through Monday

Union Pacific's historic No. 844 steam locomotive will travel through Suisun City on Monday (April 20) as part of its 32-day, four-state Western Heritage Tour.

The full steam engine won't stop in Suisun City but will pass through sometime between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. en route from Roseville to Oakland. The engine will be on display in Roseville on Saturday (April 18) and in Oakland on Tuesday (April 21) as it follows the Capitol Corridor route.

You can follow the progress of the No. 844 on the Union Pacific's website by GPS or on Twitter.

For more on the Western Heritage Tour and the No. 844, follow this link to the Union Pacific's fact sheets.

Here's a link to a Contra Costa Times article about No. 844's Bay Area activities.

Sunset Avenue Project Enters Final Phases

ROAD CLOSURE PLANNED FOR FEBRUARY 17-21

The $2.8 million Sunset and Railroad Avenue road widening and safety improvements project is nearing completion. But the last major construction step will cause unavoidable major disruptions starting Tuesday, Feb. 17.

For more information and detour details, visit www.suisun.com

Union Pacific Railroad will replace the metal road panels that form the actual traffic crossing over their two rail tracks at Sunset Avenue. At the same time, crews will do initial work needed to relocate and replace the crossing arms that protect the public from passing trains.

The railroad work is necessary partly because the Sunset Avenue project added a traffic lane in each direction from Travis Boulevard to the Railroad Avenue West intersection.

Also, Union Pacific is upgrading all crossing, bridges and rail ties on their lines between the Capitol Region and the Bay Area to provide more reliable commuter and freight rail service.

These tracks support Amtrak's Capitol Corridor commuter trains, which carry more than 130,000 a month between the Capitol Region and the Bay Area on trains that make 30 daily stops at the Suisun City Train Station. It's the third busiest commuter rail line in the nation. >>Click for important commuter service information.>>

During this construction period, the Suisun City Public Works Department urges motorists to avoid the area by using alternate routes. One suggested route is outlined on the project page on the City's website.

The $2.8 million in improvements to this major Suisun City gateway include:

• Sunset Avenue widened to four traffic lanes
  
• Coordinated traffic signals at Railroad Avenue East
• Traffic signals at Railroad Avenue East and West with East Travis Blvd. to coordinate with the Union Pacific Railroad warning system
• New medians on both sides of the railroad crossing
• New bike lanes
• New left turn lanes
• New sidewalks along Sunset Avenue
  
• Enhanced street lighting
• Improved storm drainage
• Installed new landscaping and signage
• Enhanced rail crossing safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists
  

Capitol Corridor maintenance challenges

Service for four daily Capitol Corridor trains will be transferred to a bus link between Martinez and Suisun City during June.

Union Pacific Railroad is undertaking a major track maintenance program that involves replacing thousands of railroad ties holding the tracks together. To their credit, they are doing the work in the middle of the day to minimize the disruption during the peak commute hours.

Here's what Capitol Corridor.org said about the work:

Union Pacific will be upgrading track infrastructure (primarily railroad ties & bridges) between Benicia (North of Martinez) and Suisun/Fairfield, installing approximately 40,000 new wood ties at their own expense. This is the second installment of a multi-year track upgrade project between Oakland and Sacramento, which will keep the railroad in good condition so trains can operate reliably.

This construction is expected to last approximately 4 weeks from June 3rd -June 28th, 2008. During the course of the track work, some morning and early afternoon Capitol Corridor trains will not operate between Martinez and Suisun/Fairfield. Instead, connecting buses will carry passengers between those two stations, and trains will operate on the remainder of the route on a modified schedule.

For detailed info from Capitol Corridor about the scheduled work, click here.

This announcement got some pretty good local media play, including a story in the Contra Costa Times.

Capitol Corridor hits record high ridership

Suisun City is proud to be Solano County's link to the San Francisco-Sacramento Megaregion via the Capitol Corridor commuter train.

The Capitol Corridor just reported a record-setting ridership of 1,523,630 riders from February 2007 to February 2008!

You can catch one of the 32 daily Capitol Corridor passenger trains going right through Suisun City's Waterfront District from our fully restored historic train station on Main Street.

Park right across the street all day for free, grab a cup o' joe from El Capitan Coffee Co. right in the station and you are on your way!

Check out what the Sacramento Business Journal had to say about the terrific increase in ridership!

Media: Harbor Square begins to take shape in Suisun City

By Carol Bogart | Daily Republic

SUISUN CITY - Metal scaffolding rises from the construction site, framing has begun, and Harbor Square is quickly taking shape at the corner of Main and Solano streets in the city's Waterfront District.

The office/retail/restaurant complex is being developed by Suisun City-based Main Street West Partners. Managing partners Frank Marinello and Mike Rice said the 40,000-square-foot, two-story building is on track to open in September as projected.

Harbor Square will lease space in the range of $2 per square foot per month, Marinello said, and have as many as 10 offices on the second floor, ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 square feet. There will also be an open courtyard.

Marinello said no two restaurant tenants will offer the same cuisine. He believes the addition of dining options may bring more patrons to existing establishments such as the Athenian Grill and Babs Delta Diner.

Ground will be broken next month on the 102-room waterfront Hampton Suites Hotel, said Marinello, who added the hotel won't have a restaurant. The hotel's patrons will be able to walk to what will soon be an array of restaurant choices.

Also within walking distance of new waterfront amenities will be people who buy one of 16 homes in a Lotz Way development, which Rice and Marinello said will break ground later this year.

Rice said Main Street West is sufficiently optimistic about the future of the housing market that the developer hopes to build as many as 80 homes on a waterfront parcel located between City Hall, the lighthouse and the new hotel, which is slated to open in spring 2009.

Suisun City is uniquely situated to take advantage of its waterfront appeal, Marinello said, in that it has Solano County's only commuter rail, the Capitol Corridor. He points to a growing demand from consumers for mass transit that is within walking distance of coffee shops, stores and restaurants.

'It's all walkable,' he said.

Main Street West Partners controls 14 parcels in Suisun City, Marinello said, and planned developments 'represent a $100 million investment in Suisun.'

Harbor Square is currently in discussions with multiple high quality potential tenants, Marinello said. Once the building opens in the fall, 'I'm confident it will be filled soon thereafter,' he said.

Reach Carol Bogart at 427-6955 or at cbogart@dailyrepublic.net.