Unless, that is, local solutions are found to ease a traffic-filled future. The first of three public forums aimed at improving the county's transportation system was held in Vacaville Wednesday night. And attendees heard a sobering message. Already some key business leaders, including officials at the Lucky Distribution Center in Vacaville, warn that if traffic gets worse here, they will be forced to move elsewhere. And I-80, a key link of the county's transportation system, is projected to reach capacity in another 10 years.
Congestion is projected to get worse across the county even if it grows no more.
The reason is growth in Sacramento and the Bay Area will ensure more cars and trucks keep coming across Solano County, located in-between these two metropolitan centers. These funding sources have been successful in building more roads and highways across other California counties, said Will Kempton, a Sacramento-based traffic consultant. Vacaville City Councilman Ernest Kimme asked what the Bay Area is doing to provide more affordable housing to keep up with its explosive job growth. The answer was little, if anything. This in turn, Kempton says, will bring even more people to Solano County in search of cheaper housing.