BART will participate in the 2026 International ShakeOut Day earthquake drill on Thursday, October 15, to test our emergency response systems and to help raise public awareness of the importance of having a plan and being prepared.
At 10:15am, BART staff will trigger our ShakeAlert early warning earthquake system to ensure it is functioning and working correctly. Once triggered, trains will automatically slow down to 27mph. Then all trains will come to a very brief stop. BART will also make a systemwide public announcement encouraging riders to be prepared for earthquakes. BART will also test our internal communications systems to notify employees and the Operations Control Center will observe earthquake alarms and our train control systems to ensure they are working properly. BART has also added simulated damage inspections to its ShakeAlert drill, which you can read more about below.
ShakeAlert Early Warning Earthquake System
BART is an early adopter of the ShakeAlert system, which is connected to a network of USGS seismic sensors throughout California. When the BART seismic condition threshold is reached is reached, the system sends a speed restriction command to trains. This system removes human response time and can even slow trains down before the shaking occurs depending on how far away the quake is centered.
Emergency Response Plan
BART has an Earthquake Emergency Response Plan, and we hold several drills a year to ensure staff is trained and ready to respond. In the event of an earthquake, riders should listen for instructions from BART personnel. Employees are trained to evacuate the public from dangerous areas. Following an earthquake, BART trains are held in place (except for trains in the Transbay Tube and Berkeley Hills Tunnel) until it is determined it is safe to move the train to the nearest station where riders will be offboarded.
Earthquake Safety Tips
Where will you be and what will you do when the next big earthquake hits? Taking time to consider these questions now could help if you ever do find yourself in an earthquake.
LISTEN FOR INSTRUCTIONS
That’s one reason why the first guideline in a BART emergency is to follow instructions from BART personnel. The BART Operations Control Center is in constant communication with trains and Station Agents and is in the best position to manage emergencies and provide direction for the public.
ON A TRAIN
If you’re on a train during an earthquake, Train Operators will follow BART’s established emergency plan and provide you with important information. Sit down or grab a handhold to avoid injury. If an evacuation is necessary, emergency response personnel will coordinate.
IN A STATION
If you’re in a station during an earthquake, back away from the edge of the trackway. If you’re in the station concourse, don’t proceed to the platform. Instead, prepare to evacuate the station under the direction of BART personnel.
TRY TEXTING
No matter where you are, emergency experts recommend using text messaging instead of cell calls to communicate with family and loved ones in an emergency. Cell networks can be overwhelmed if everyone’s trying to call at the same time; text messages can be more efficient.
Earthquake Safety Program Completed in 2024
In September 2024, BART completed its Earthquake Safety Program, which retrofitted vulnerable high traffic portions of the original system to make it safer in a large quake. The Earthquake Safety Program was funded in part by Measure AA, a $980 million general obligation BART bond approved by voters in 2004. The program focused on upgrading portions of the original system not only for life safety but also to ensure that we can return to operation shortly after a major earthquake.
Source: ShakeOut.org
BART’s Earthquake Response Team
BART’s Earthquake Response Team (ERT) consists of around sixty engineers and thirty maintenance employees that fan out across the system in the advent of a major earthquake, defined as an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 or greater with an epicenter within 50 miles of the BART system. Since its inception, the ERT has never been activated for a real event, but they train throughout the year to prepare for the real possibility of a massive earthquake rattling the Bay Area.
The Great ShakeOut is the ERT’s big show. Once the international earthquake drill commences, BART staff hit the ground running. ERT members travel to all 50 stations to conduct structural assessments, simulating damage inspections that would occur during a real earthquake. They inspect walkways, support structures, elevators, escalators – anything that could sustain damage in a powerful earthquake.
The Great ShakeOut simulation is designed to exercise “muscle memory” for BART’s earthquake response as well as identifying areas for improvement.
Safety is BART’s mission above all, and the practiced ERT is crucial for getting service up and running quickly.
The team focuses their observations on stations and aerial structures. They’re looking for physical damage – cracks, leaning, displacement, unevenness, and foundation damage – as well as issues like station power outages, falling signage, and water intrusion.
Members of the ERT can be activated at any time, and staff volunteer to join the team. Every ERT member is issued two big backpacks full of supplies they might need, from batteries and measuring tools to safety vests and protein bars. One backpack stays at their house: the other in their office. See what’s inside in the video.
Visit Shakeout.org for simple safety steps during earthquakes.
Antioch, Calif. – The Antioch Police Department announced today that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads.
“True community safety is built on more than just response, it is enforced by prevention. Grant funds empower our police department to go beyond traditional enforcement by delivering targeted education and supporting smart road engineering. Through this three-prong approach, we aren’t just reacting to crime and traffic dangers, we are actively designing a safer environment with our community,” said Antioch Police Department Sergeant Rob Green.
The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:
• DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
• High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
• Enforcement operations focused on top driving violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.
• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.
• Officer training and/or recertification to detect and evaluate impairment levels in suspected impaired drivers: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
“Traffic safety begins with everyday decisions,” OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. “When we address the risky driving behaviors that put everyone on the road in danger, including speeding, distraction, and impairment, we can prevent crashes and save lives. By supporting enforcement efforts and educating communities, we’re helping to build a safety culture where looking out for others and safe travel behaviors are the norm.”
The grant program runs through September 2027.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Including Antioch Council candidates Joy Motts, Monica Wilson and Matty Matthews Alappat
By Kaleo Mark, Community Organizer, Seamless Bay Area
Bay Area – A coalition of 28 transit, bike, disability, and street safety advocates from around the Bay Area published the responses from over 250 candidates for local, state, and federal office in our “Bay Area Transportation Candidate Questionnaire.”
The questionnaire responses will help voters across the Bay Area make more informed decisions about the candidates who, if elected, will be positioned to significantly determine the future of how Bay Area residents get around. Candidates shared their perspectives on designing our streets to be safer for all, making transit a more desirable option, and addressing the transportation sector’s role in climate change.
How we get around and the barriers we face in that process affect nearly every aspect of our lives like housing, healthcare, economic development, safety, education, and much more.
“Local elected officials play critical roles on local regional transportation bodies and boards around the Bay Area and are influential in transit ballot funding campaigns. It is essential for people running for office to know the issues, and to understand that there is an active constituency who care about transit and active transportation and consider these issues in voting,” said Adina Levin, Executive Director at Seamless Bay Area.
2026 is an especially important year for Bay Area public transit, with voters casting their votes on two ballot measures that will determine the future of our region’s transit: Measure RTM across Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties and Prop H in San Francisco.
Top candidates in high-profile races across the Bay Area responded to this questionnaire, including:
Region-wide
22 responses from mayoral candidates running in Richmond, Alameda, Dublin, Hayward, Oakland, Santa Clara, Fairfield, and more.
Responses from City Council candidates running in 74 different cities across the Bay Area.
East Bay
Aisha Wahab in the 14th Congressional District race.
Scott Sakakihara and Linda Price in the State Senate District 10 race in the East and South Bay to replace Senator Aisha Wahab.
Adriana Valencia in AC Transit Ward 3 race.
80 candidates for City Council races across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
“When it comes to how we get to where we’re going, and the options we have for how we get around, our local, county, and state elected officials have a massive impact.” said Carter Lavin, co-founder of Transbay Coalition. “Now more than ever, local electeds can make a big difference on things like whether or not it is safe to cross your street, or if your bus is on time, or even if there is a bus going where you want to go. Although candidates rarely lead with their transportation policies, transportation impacts every voter every day so voters deserve to know where candidates stand on the issue.”
“The Bay Area’s elected officials will have a critical role to play in saving public transit. Our transportation systems are at a tipping point, with many facing huge deficits. Therefore, it’s important now more than ever to elect leaders at all levels who will support a sustainable and equitable funding solution for our vital transit providers,” said Abibat Rahman-Davies, Transportation Policy Manager for Transform.
“Persons with disabilities depend on public transportation for everything from going to the doctor to going to work in the morning! Finding out how candidates stand on transit is vital to our very existence!” said Warren Cushman, Community Organizer at Community Resources for Independent Living.
“Transit service is the lifeblood of a community – it allows economic, social and educational opportunities for everyone,” said Abigail Zoger, a professor and lead at North Bay Transit Riders. “In Marin and Sonoma, the lack of night service means the community college evening classes are inaccessible to many. One student reported missing the last bus and having to walk 4 hours home at night.”
“Over the past year, San Francisco Transit Riders has mobilized thousands of voters to speak up and demand sustainable solutions from their elected officials to fund and improve public transportation,” said Dylan Fabris, Community and Policy Director at San Francisco Transit Riders. “San Franciscans depend on public transportation so it is important for them to know how their candidates shape up on the transportation issues that affect their lives every day.”
“Bike East Bay believes in a transportation future where owning and maintaining a car is not a prerequisite to moving around the East Bay with freedom. We want to see a system that is safer, cleaner, and more seamlessly integrated than what currently exists,” said Justin Hu-Nguyen, Executive Co-Director of Mobility Justice at Bike East Bay.
“With the future of reliable transit and e-bike access on the line, California’s chance at achieving climate goals has never been more dire. Before we vote, we must know that incoming elected officials will not just support transit, biking, and walking, they will fight for it. An affordable, equitable Bay Area with clean air depends on it,” said Amy Thomson, Policy Director at Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.
“A strong public transportation system is a crucial component in making biking and rolling safe, convenient and welcoming to everyone in San Francisco,” says Rachel Clyde, senior community organizer for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. “We need leaders who will champion innovative solutions for improving all forms of sustainable transportation in our communities.”
“Public transit massively extends the range of the bicycle. We need robust public transit in order to efficiently traverse the Bay Area with the powerful combination of bike and public transit,” said Bruce Dughi, co-founder of BikeWalk Castro Valley.
About Seamless Bay Area
Seamless Bay Area is a public transportation advocacy group working to transform the Bay Area’s public transit into a world-class, unified, equitable, and widely-used system by building a diverse movement for change and promoting policy reforms. More at seamlessbayarea.org.
Thieves don’t need your keys to steal something valuable from your car.
A catalytic converter—the emissions-control device in your exhaust system—can be stolen in minutes. Here are five ways to make your vehicle harder to target:
Put a barrier in their way.
Ask a reputable repair shop about a catalytic converter shield, cage, or security device designed for your vehicle. These add an obstacle to removal, but no device makes a converter theft-proof.
Find out what actually triggers your alarm.
Ask your dealer or installer whether your alarm detects the vehicle being lifted or disturbed underneath. A tilt sensor or suitable vibration sensor may provide protection your current setup doesn’t.
Make your next oil change a prevention opportunity.
While your vehicle is on the lift, ask whether the shop can mark the converter with your vehicle identification number or install a purpose-made identification kit. Have the shop photograph the marking, and complete any required registration. Identification can help police link a recovered converter to your vehicle; it cannot physically stop removal.
Check what your camera can actually see.
Look at the live view after dark. Does it cover your parked vehicle and the approach to it? Check motion-detection zones and notifications, and consider motion-activated lighting. A camera aimed at the front door may miss activity in the driveway.
Plan for the hours your vehicle sits unattended.
At work, apartment complexes, or long-term parking lots, choose visible spaces with regular activity and camera coverage when available. Ask property managers about dark areas, broken gates, or cameras that don’t cover parking spaces.
Suspect a theft in progress? Call 911. Stay somewhere safe and do not confront or follow anyone. Give dispatch the location and any descriptions you can safely observe.
Save this post for your next service appointment.
Antioch Police Department – Service • Integrity • Community
Traffic Calming projects including speed humps planned for Sunset Drive. Source for all maps: City of Antioch Public Works Dep’t. Inset photo: U-Line
See list of streets and maps of locations to receive speed humps, more
By Allen D. Payton
After approving the expenditure of a little over $500,000 for the traffic calming devices on Sycamore Drive on Aug. 25, under Item 5.P. as part of the Consent Calendar for Tuesday’s meeting on Sept. 22, 2026, the Council approved on a 4-0 vote awarding the construction agreement to Consolidated Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $168,495 with a contingency of $30,000 for a total contract amount of $198,495 for the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project.
Traffic Calming projects on D Street (left) & W. Madill Street (right).
It consists of the installation of speed hump systems, signage and thermoplastic striping. There will be a total of eight speed hump systems constructed on the following streets:
Traffic Calming projects planned for E. Tregallas Road (left) E. 19th Street (right).
Sunset Drive between Diablo and Beasley Avenues;
E. Tregallas Road between Center Lane and Garrow Drive;
Wildflower Drive between Larkspur Drive and Lupine Court;
W. Madill Street between D and G Streets;
D Street between the Railroad and Texas Street;
East 19th Street between Acacia and Deodar Avenues;
Sunset Lane between Northridge and Daphne Courts; and
Candlewood Way between Arroyo and Stagecoach Ways.
Traffic Calming projects planned for Sunset Lane (left) and Wildflower Drive (right).
According to the City staff report, funding for the project will be from the FY 25/26 Capital Improvement Budget which has a balance of $292,292 carried over into the FY 26/27 budget of $250,000 for a total of $542,292 from Measure J Funds. Following procurement of the contract and an estimated 10% of $16,850 for construction engineering, management, inspection, testing and contract administration, that will leave an estimated fund balance of $326,947.
Locations of Traffic Calming devices approved for Wildflower Drive.
Plus, discuss downtown security services, vote on emergency fuel purchase, more traffic calming devices, increasing investigative services contract, more water park repairs & improvements, and report on state and federal funds for housing and homeless
Still nothing on agenda about El Campanil Theatre although escrow closes Sept. 29th
By Allen D. Payton
During their regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, the Antioch City Council has a full agenda and will vote on reestablishing the Economic Development Department, with one staff member and either a director or combined assistant city manager dual role,emergency fuel purchase, increasing investigative services contract for the Police Department by $250,000,almost $200,000 for more traffic calming devices and $141,000 for more improvements to the water park. They will also discuss restoring private security services in downtown Rivertown and the annual report on use of state and federal funds for housing and homeless services. Finally, the Council will vote on approving a Tentative Agreement with the Confidential Unit of City employees for a one-year 3% COLA increase.
That will follow a Closed Session at 6:00 p.m. during which the Council will meet to discuss the contracts with representatives of three employee organizations: Antioch Public Employees’ Association, Treatment Plant Employees’ Association and Antioch Police Sworn Management Association.
Reestablishing Economic Development Department, Director, Staff or Dual Assistant City Manager Role, Possible Commission
Under Item 7 the Council will vote on reestablishing a standalone Economic Development Department separate from Community Development, with funding for an Economic Development Director position with an amended salary range, an Economic Development Specialist, and assigning a budget; or directing staff to revise the existing Assistant City Manager job description whose primary role would be to focus on economic development in an 80/20 scope of work structure.
As previously reported and according to the City staff report, “Per the City Council’s direction from the August 31, 2026, Study Session, below are the options for discussion.
• A standalone Economic Development Department;
• An Economic Development Director responsible for oversight and implementation of the Economic Development Strategic Plan or amending the Assistant City Manager to an 80/20 dual role;
• Status of Economic Development Commission (EDC); and
• Providing a substantial budget to the Economic Development Department for programming and successful operations.
“Under the proposed 80/20 structure, the City Manager Department would gain dedicated Assistant City Manager capacity for executive initiatives, Council priorities, interdepartmental coordination, and organizational problem-solving, while retaining responsibility for matters that cannot be delegated. This creates a tradeoff between dedicated departmental oversight and unrestricted Assistant City Manager capacity.”
In addition, Mayor Ron Bernal suggested a salary range “something similar to the current Community and Economic Development Director of $14,800 to $18,000.”
While the Commission was never officially dissolved, during their meeting on April 9, 2024, the City Council voted unanimously to dissolve their own Restructuring of the Economic Development Commission Ad Hoc Committee. According to the meeting minutes, District 1 “Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker explained that the committee’s purpose was to restructure the EDC to improve functionality,” but “expressed her support for dissolving the existing Ad Hoc Committee.”
During that council meeting, then-District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock asked that the vacancies on the Commission be filled to no avail.
According to Tim McCall, the Commission’s former chairman, then-mayor “Lamar (Hernandez-Thorpe) refused to fill vacancies until they didn’t have a quorum anymore. People started quitting because they could see their volunteer work was going to waste and they had better uses for their time. I asked Lamar to fill the vacancies, but he didn’t.”
Herald file photo.
Downtown Security Services
Under Item 6, on the agenda, the Council will discuss downtown security services for City owned parking lots, property and public areas, and provide direction to staff on whether to initiate a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process for private security services in the Rivertown/Downtown area.
It follows the meetings held with and incorporates feedback received from downtown business owners and community members regarding hours of operation, patrol locations, scope of services and other identified needs.
Hunt & Sons fuel purchase statement. Source: City of Antioch
Emergency Fuel Purchase Up to $500,000
Under Item 8, the Council will vote on purchasing fuel on an emergency basis through December 31, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $500,000, including applicable taxes, fees, delivery charges, and other associated costs,
to cover both the payment of outstanding fuel invoices accrued from July 1, 2026, through August 31, 2026, in the amount of $178,042.33 and the purchase of fuel necessary to maintain City operations until December 31, 2026, while City staff continue efforts to secure a new service provider for a long-term fuel supply agreement.
On April 28, 2026, the City Council approved a cooperative purchase agreement with Hunt and Sons for the purchase and delivery of unleaded and renewable diesel fuel for City operations. Hunt and Sons have not been able to meet the City’s insurance requirements and are therefore not able to perform this service under the terms of the agreement.
Since July 1, 2026, the City has continued receiving fuel deliveries from Hunt and Sons while staff, under consultation with the City Attorney’s Office, worked with the vendor to resolve the insurance requirements. The outstanding invoices will continue to accrue twice weekly as future fuel deliveries are made.
CAPER Demographics of Individuals Served FY25-26. Source: City of Antioch
Annual Report on Use of State and Federal Housing and Homeless Funds
Under Item 9 the Council will receive public comments and vote on approving the Fiscal Year 2025–26 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
According to the City staff report, “The CAPER details the individual goals and achievements of funded agencies during the first year (FY 2025-26) of the 2025-30 Consolidated Plan. Most agencies exceeded their goals. Below is a summary of the Priority Goals and Annual Strategies that received funding in FY 2025-26. Funding sources below are identified by their stated abbreviation for funds committed and expended:
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development;
• Housing Successor (HS) funding authorized by the State for expenditure on affordable housing and homeless services; and
• Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) funding from the State for expenditure on affordable housing and homeless services.
A total of $1,701,909.45 was spent on the various programs and a balance of $144,428.20 in Habitat for Humanity Homeowner Housing Rehabilitation funds was carried over to and will be expended in FY26-27.
Breakdown of Residents Served
According to the FY 2025-26 Summary, “Funding from the City of Antioch Community Grants Program served a total of 6,497 Antioch residents during the past year for 148% of the cumulative goal of 4,398. Of the total Antioch residents served by all programs:
• 68.8% had household incomes of 30% or less AMI (Average Median Income);
• 28.7% had incomes of 50% to 31% AMI; and
• 2.5 had incomes of 80% to 51% AMI.
The demographic breakdown of all served against the demographics of the City of Antioch is provided in the chart above.
The report also states, “Overall, community-service activities exceeded the cumulative annual service goal, with most participating agencies meeting or exceeding their individual goals. Several affordable-housing activities remain in progress or below their annual production goals and will require continued monitoring, financial reconciliation, and follow-up during FY 2026–27.”
Increasing Investigative Services Contract for Police Department to Comply with DOJ, Allen Agreements
Under Item 10, the Council will consider approving Amendment No. 2 to the contract with Chaplin and Hill Investigative Services, increasing the contract amount by $250,000 for continued investigative services “required pursuant to the USDOJ MOU, the Allen Agreement, and applicable City policies and procedures,” according to the City staff report.
Also, according to City staff, “To maintain public confidence and uphold the integrity of internal investigations, the Antioch Police Department must ensure that its process for handling allegations of misconduct is impartial and consistent with applicable federal requirements. Engaging independent, external professional investigators provides an objective means of conducting investigations involving allegations of misconduct and other matters requiring an independent review.
“This approach is consistent with national law enforcement best practices and standards. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)…recommends the use of external investigators to promote fairness and impartiality in law enforcement investigations.”
City Employee Confidential Unit One-Year 3% COLA
Under Item 11, the Council will vote on approving a Tentative Agreement with the Confidential Unit of City employees which includes a one-year 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and benefits for FY2026/27 at a cost of $123,000 with $103,000 from the General Fund. The Confidential Unit includes a variety of staff positions: the Deputy City Clerk, Account Specialists, Analysts, Assistants, Coordinators, Specialists and Technicians. The 26 employees in the Unit have been working without a contract since September 30, 2025. See City’s Master Salary Schedule.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Traffic Calming projects planned for Sunset Drive (left) and Candlewood Way (right). Source for all maps: City of Antioch Public Works Dept.
More Traffic Calming Devices
After approving the expenditure of a little over $500,000 for the traffic calming devices on Sycamore Drive on Aug. 25, under Item 5.P. on the Consent Calendar, the Council will consider awarding the construction agreement to Consolidated Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $168,495 with a contingency of $30,000 for a total contract amount of $198,495 for the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project.
Traffic Calming projects planned for D Street (left) & W. Madill Street (right).
It consists of the installation of speed hump systems, signage and thermoplastic striping. There will be a total of eight speed hump systems constructed on the following streets:
Sunset Drive between Diablo and Beasley Avenues;
E. Tregallas Road between Center Lane and Garrow Drive;
Wildflower Drive between Larkspur Drive and Lupine Court;
W. Madill Street between D and G Streets;
D Street between the Railroad and Texas Street;
East 19th Street between Acacia and Deodar Avenues;
Sunset Lane between Northridge and Daphne Courts; and
Candlewood Way between Arroyo and Stagecoach Ways.
Traffic Calming projects planned for E. Tregallas Road (left) E. 19th Street (right).
According to the City staff report, funding for the project will be from the FY 25/26 Capital Improvement Budget which has a balance of $292,292 carried over into the FY 26/27 budget of $250,000 for a total of $542,292 from Measure J Funds. Following procurement of the contract and an estimated 10% of $16,850 for construction engineering, management, inspection, testing and contract administration, that will leave an estimated fund balance of $326,947.
Traffic Calming projects planned for Sunset Lane (left) and Wildflower Drive (right).
More Water Park Repairs & Improvements
Under Item 5.Q. the Council will consider approving an amendment to the construction agreement with Top Line Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $78,232.98, for a total contract amount of $276,732.98 for Prewett Water Park Concrete Improvements 2026 Project; and under Item 5.R. they will vote on approving a second amendment to the construction agreement with Adams Pool Solutions in the amount of $63,034, for a total contract amount of $855,632 for the Prewett Water Park Pool Resurfacing Project; and approving a budget amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Capital Improvement and Operating Budgets utilizing General Funds for the project by $75,000.
Source: City of Antioch
Allocate & Reallocate State Violence Intervention & Prevention Grant Funds
Under Item 5.S, on the Consent Calendar, the Council will vote on approving a budget amendment to appropriate and reappropriate California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Cohort 5 Grant funds across Fiscal Years 2025–26 through 2028–29, consistent with the approved grant award and anticipated expenditure schedule.
According to the City staff report, “On March 10, 2026, the City Council authorized acceptance of $2,066,775 in CalVIP Cohort 5 funding administered by BSCC. At that time, Council appropriated $112,000 for anticipated Fiscal Year 2025–26 expenditures and directed that the remaining grant balance be incorporated into subsequent fiscal-year budgets consistent with the grant term and approved spending plan.
“CalVIP is a competitive State grant program supporting jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violent crime through evidence-based violence interruption, prevention, and intervention strategies. The City’s Cohort 5 award continues and expands upon violence intervention infrastructure established through prior CalVIP funding beginning in 2022.
“CalVIP Cohort 5 supports the City’s continued violence intervention and prevention activities, including personnel dedicated to program administration, violence intervention and outreach; community-based services and partnerships; participant supports; evaluation and performance measurement; and other activities authorized under the approved grant agreement.
“Because the…Cohort 5 grant extends across multiple City fiscal years, expenditure authority must be appropriately budgeted within each fiscal year in which grant-funded costs are anticipated.
The proposed budget amendment…establishes and adjusts appropriations across Fiscal Years 2025–26 through 2028–29 to align the City’s financial budget with the anticipated timing of…Cohort 5 expenditures.
Meeting Details
The Regular meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, in historic, downtown Rivertown and can be viewed via livestream on the City’s website, on Comcast cable TV channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99 or on the City’s YouTube channel.
See the complete agenda packet with staff reports here.
By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works Department
Antioch and Brentwood, CA – Contra Costa County Public Works will perform road traffic safety improvements at four sites along Deer Valley Road between Empire Mine Road and Marsh Creek Road, from Tuesday, September 8, 2026, through Friday, November 20, 2026, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, weather permitting.
Traffic control will be used at each site with restrictions in place to minimize impacts during commuting hours. Message boards will alert drivers to the work. Drivers should expect delays through the work zones and consider alternative routes during working hours.
The project is intended to enhance safety at four locations on Deer Valley Road. Funding for this project is provided by the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and Local Gas Tax SB1. For more information about this project, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/Deer-Valley-Road-Traffic-Safety-Improvements
About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:
The Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) is responsible for the maintenance and operation of over 650 miles of roads, 79 miles of streams and channels, and over 150 County buildings. CCCPWD services include parks and recreation, sandbag distribution, flood control, road and facilities maintenance, and storm water management. 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.
Rendering and photo of planned Antioch Bridge toll plaza with toll booths removed and new overhead gantry. Source: BATA
Then expand to Antioch, Benicia-Martinez and Carquinez Bridges in 2027-28; San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, San Mateo-Hayward and Dumbarton Bridges in 2028
Offers high-speed toll collection system; see how an ORT gantry works
By Bay Area Toll Authority
Acting Caltrans District 4 Director and Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) Commissioner Doanh Nguyen reminds drivers that the toll booths at the Bay Bridge and other state-owned toll bridges will soon be a thing of the past. “The transition to open-road tolling already is underway, with the new system set to debut next year at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.”
The Open Road Tolling (ORT) Program will streamline the driver experience when the toll booths are removed from the seven state-owned toll bridges which currently use All-Electronic Tolling (AET). They will, over time, be converted to ORT.
Why Do We Need the Open Road Tolling (ORT) Program?
The ORT Program will replace the current, aging toll system with newer “toll gantry” technology that will be optimized to process all tolls electronically.
These days, it is not necessary for drivers to stop at toll booths to pay the toll. The ORT Program will remove the toll booths and update the roadway through the toll plaza area, improving safety and highway operations.
Project Benefits
The implementation of ORT will result in more efficient tolling, increased safety at toll plazas and provide a consistent regional experience to Bay Area travelers. Implementing ORT has also been shown in other regions to improve traffic flow and reduce vehicle emissions.
What’s a Toll Gantry?
A toll gantry is an overhead structure with mounted toll readers.
Bay Area Express Lanes use gantries above part of the roadway. In the former toll plazas, the ORT Program will install gantries that cross the entire roadway.
In the illustration at the top of this page, a conceptual toll gantry design is shown at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. A The toll plaza has been removed and replaced with toll equipment centered over the lanes.
ORT Toll Gantry illustration. Source: BATA
How Does ORT Work?
The ORT toll system is a roadside system that detects vehicle information as drivers pass through the toll zone.
A typical ORT roadside system is shown in the figure above. Overhead cameras, antennae and associated toll equipment are mounted on gantries that span the entire width of the roadway. This equipment captures toll tag and license plate information. Inductance loops are embedded in the pavement and centered on the travel lanes. These loops are used to count the number of axles to assign the right toll rate. The Roadside Toll Equipment Enclosure houses computer processors that package the pieces of information into a single toll transaction. This data is transmitted to the FasTrak Customer Service Center to collect the toll from customers
Construction Period
Construction began in spring 2026 on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the first of the Bay Area’s state-owned bridges to convert to open road tolling.
Before, during and after construction, the collection of tolls will be seamless to the customer. Customers will continue to be able to use their FasTrak toll tag or use their license plate to get an invoice in the mail. While this program will shift the location where tolls are collected from the traditional toll plaza to a gantry over the road, the toll collection process is unchanged.
Map of the Bay Area including San Francisco and the East Bay, showing the location of the seven bridges that are part of the ORT program (Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, San Mateo-Hayward and Dumbarton Bridges). Source: BATA
How Do Drivers Pay Tolls?
Toll payment options will be no different under the ORT Program. Drivers can set up a FasTrak account or a Pay By License Plate account to pre-pay tolls. Vehicles without pre-paid accounts will receive an invoice in the mail. A FasTrak toll tag in the designated HOV lane with the required occupancy is required to receive HOV discounts. For more information visit the FasTrak website.
No More Cash Collection
The toll plazas in use today were designed for both cash and electronic payment.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Newsom removed the cash toll booth collectors from the toll plazas on March 21, 2020. This is a permanent change, so there will be no more cash collection at Bay Area toll booths. This effectively changed the toll collection system to operate as an all-electronic system.
Source: BATA
Notice of Exemption for Antioch, Benicia-Martinez & Carquinez Bridges
In September 2025, a Notice of Exemption was issued by the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) on the California Environmental Quality Act website for the ORT Conversion Northern Bridges Project specifically for the Antioch Bridge, Benicia-Martinez Bridge and Carquinez Bridge toll plazas. The project would replace existing toll booths with new toll gantries, which will serve the same purpose and capacity as the toll booths without expanding the use of existing highways or streets, nor create additional automobile lanes.
BATA, in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), proposes Open Road Tolling (ORT) systems at the Antioch Bridge (State Route-160 [SR-160]), Benicia-Martinez Bridge (Interstate 680 [I-680]), and Carquinez Bridge (Interstate 80 [I-80]) toll plazas in Contra Costa and Solano counties.
Rendering of planned future Open-Road Tolling toll gantry at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza. Credit: Kimley Horn and Associates
The purpose of the project is to replace aging tolling system infrastructure to improve operational efficiency through bridge toll plazas and improve safety by eliminating the need to pass through existing toll booths. The project is needed to address operational and safety deficiencies for vehicles traveling through the Antioch Bridge, Benicia-Martinez Bridge, and Carquinez Bridge toll plazas.
The existing toll collection system is aging and needs to be replaced. The existing toll collection booths and other civil infrastructure are physical barriers that act as fixed objects within the travel way of the road. The existing fanning and merging of travel lanes near the toll plazas increase the potential for collisions.
Rendering and photo of the proposed toll gantry at Carquinez Bridge with toll booths removed. Source: BATA
The proposed project would remove and replace existing toll booths, toll equipment, and canopies with ORT systems at the Antioch Bridge, Benicia-Martinez Bridge, and Carquinez Bridge toll plazas. This includes the construction of new ORT gantries and the installation of toll equipment buildings along SR-160, I-680, and I-80. Northbound I-680 and eastbound I-80 would be restriped to four general purpose lanes and one high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane through the toll plazas. Northbound SR-160 would be restriped to one lane through the toll plaza. Entrance and exit ramps to and from toll administration buildings and parking lots would be modified. Existing roadway signs would be removed, replaced, or relocated at all three bridge locations, as needed.
BATA’s Toll Policy will provide toll discounts to HOVs with FasTrak® Flex tag. All project activities are within State right-of-way, except for minor widening on the maintenance ramp for Bridgehead Road, which lies within City of Oakley right-of way. Construction is planned to begin in 2026 and is anticipated to take approximately 20 months.
Source: BATA
Public Comment
Staff updates on the program will be provided during BATA Oversight Committee meetings. Members of the public are invited to comment during these meetings.
Comments and questions may also be directed to info@bayareametro.gov with the subject line “ORT Webpage Comment.”
