Transit sales tax measure qualifies for November ballot
Connect Bay Area has announced that a measure to raise the sales tax rate in five Bay Area counties has qualified for the Nov. 3 ballot. The initiative would increase the sales tax by a half cent per dollar in Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and by 1 cent per dollar in San Francisco. The measure aims to provide long-term operational funding for Bay Area transit agencies including BART, AC Transit, Caltrain and Muni. Without the additional funding, officials warn of major service reductions, including the closure of 15 BART stations.
Free meals, snacks for children at libraries, parks, schools this summer
West county children and teens can take advantage of free meals and snacks this summer even while school is out. The West Contra Costa Unified School District’s Free Meals 2026 program is under way in Richmond, San Pablo and Hercules with no application or registration needed. Children and teens 18 and younger just need to show up at one of the mobile kitchen sites. Richmond sites include Richmond High School, Nicholl Park and Marina Bay Park. Most programs run during the noon hour and early afternoons.
Contra Costa County students can get free bus rides
Students in Contra Costa County can apply for two months of free bus passes to help get to and from school. The Pass2Class program offers up to two students per household two 31-day passes on AC Transit, WestCAT or Tri Delta Transit buses. Students must be 19 or younger and attend a public or private school in Contra Costa County. Applications are being accepted until Sept. 30.
Survey vehicle is scanning Richmond streets to identify roads in need of repair
A special survey vehicle is hitting Richmond streets this summer to identify which roads are most in need of repairs. The vehicle, part of the city’s Pavement Management Program, carries right-of-way cameras, GPS, lasers, and other sensors that collect pavement condition data while driving at posted traffic speeds. The data helps public works officials determine which roads need immediate repairs and preventive maintenance. City officials note that Richmond has 580 lane miles of roadway and only $4 million budgeted to cover an estimated $100 million in citywide paving needs.
