Solano County I-80 Corridor May Get Hot Lanes
FAIRFIELD (KCBS)— Transit authorities in Solano County may be developing some "hot lanes" for tackling the increased traffic demands along Interstate 80.
I-80 in Solano County is the exit corridor in the Bay Area for drivers heading to Lake Tahoe or Sacramento.
It can be a grind, said Daryl Halls, the executive director of the Solano Transportation Authority. He said carpool lanes could be converted to hot lanes.
"There's a HOV [High Occupancy Vehicle] lane right in this location and we're looking at doing about a 16-mile segment from here and Fairfield all the way to Vacaville converting the existing HOV to hot lanes," Halls said.
KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:
Hot or express lanes allow single drivers to pay for the use of using carpool lanes at peak commuter hours.
Caltrans District Director Bijan Sartipi said road widening is just a partial solution.
"We're using an intelligent transportation system for lane and corridor and management. Using the capacity left in the HOV lanes is critical," Sartipi said.
Meanwhile, Halls said a Capitol Corridor train station already exists in Suisun City with two more planned in Fairfield and Dixon, but that there isn't enough money or means to build a light rail system like the kind designed for east Contra Costa.
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