After 30 years Solano County has new roadway

Solano County has new roadway
BY MELISSA MURPHY / THE REPORTER
Posted: 10/28/2010 01:06:10 AM PDT

The first major infrastructure project in Solano County is completed and will be available to drivers soon.
Intended to divert intracounty traffic off of Interstate 80, the North Connector was created and completed.

State government officials joined with local government leaders and the Solano Transportation Authority on Wednesday to celebrate its completion.

"If we don't start working together, we will not be able to deliver projects like this," said Supervisor Jim Spering standing on the bridge that crosses over Suisun Creek. "It's an investment in the future."

The new four-mile stretch of road connects Chadbourne Road/Highway 12 to Suisun Valley Road. It's a four-lane road, two in each direction, with a landscaped median separation.

"The greater good will be served by pulling traffic off of I-80," said Fairfield Mayor Harry Price.

The project was a joint effort by several different parties including Solano County, the city of Fairfield and Garaventa Properties.

Total funding from the project was $62 million. Of that, $26 million came from Regional Measure 2 funds from bridge tolls.

"What a good thing that has happened here," said Rep. John Garamendi, D-Solano. "Now you can get from here to there. You can't get from there to here over there on I-80."

He added that the new stretch of road is a crucial investment that will pay off year, after year.

State Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Solano, agreed.

She explained that it's important

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to be ready for when the economy catches up and because of the completed project, Solano County is ready.
She added that there are several benefits, one of which is it will streamline commutes.

Other benefits include providing 1.7 miles of continuous bike paths between Chadbourne Road and Suisun Creek as part of the Solano Bikeway Network and provides roadway and bike access to Solano Community College, businesses and residences.

It also provides a new wetlands habitat and storm water detention basin to control localized flooding. The road, according to officials, will provide a frontage road along I-80 that will particularly benefit emergency vehicles when there is a problem on the freeway.

Price shared with the group in keeping with the Halloween season that there actually are bats living and thriving underneath the new Suisun Creek bridge.