Tracy, California
Encyclopedia
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County
, California
, United States
and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area
. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.
lines running from Sacramento
through Stockton
and to the San Francisco Bay Area
. A number of small communities sprang up along these lines, including the one named for railroad director Lathrop J. Tracy. Incorporated in 1910, Tracy grew rapidly and prospered as an agricultural area even when railroad operations began to decline in the 1950s. Beginning in the 1980s, Tracy experienced a growth spurt as people migrated to the city looking for a more affordable alternative to Bay Area home prices and also for a less hectic lifestyle. A steady period of growth ensued, as many companies found Tracy an ideal location for their distribution facilities. The city today is home to several of these distribution facilities and is setting its sights on newer industries, including expansion of hi-tech companies from their existing Silicon Valley
bases.
, Tracy sits near some fertile agricultural lands and some not so fertile agricultural lands (because of the hilly region west of Tracy), some of which (in the east and mostly north of Tracy because of the moist Delta river system) has come under increasing development pressure as the San Francisco Bay Area
's vigorous population growth
has spilled over into the Tracy area as well as other locations such as new town of Mountain House (because of TRAQC's Measure A in 1990) near the Bay Area's edge.
In an effort to reduce its impact on the environment, the city launched the Emerald Tracy Project in September 2009. City spokesman Matt Robinson said that if it succeeds, Tracy will be the second city after Riverside to satisfy the state’s goal for sustainable communities.
Tracy's climate is hot during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 90's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 93 °F (33.9 °C) degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 34 °F (1.1 °C). Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 38 F-change, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 22 F-change. The annual average precipitation at Tracy is 10.58 inches (268.7 mm). Rainfall is greatest in winter months (between November and March) and very low in summer (between June and August). The wettest month of the year is January with an average rainfall of 1.97 inches (50 mm).
ignited at S.F. Royster's Tire Disposal south of Tracy on South MacArthur Drive, near Linne Rd. The tire dump held over 7 million illegally stored tires and was allowed to burn for over two years before it was extinguished. Allowing the fire to burn was considered to be a better way to avoid groundwater contamination than putting it out. The cleanup cost $16.2 million and wound up contaminating [county] groundwater anyway.
was 3,745.5 people per square mile (1,446.2/km²). The racial makeup of Tracy was 43,724 (52.7%) White, 5,953 (7.2%) African American, 715 (0.9%) Native American, 12,229 (14.7%) Asian, 747 (0.9%) Pacific Islander, 13,173 (15.9%) from other races
, and 6,381 (7.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30,557 persons (36.9%).
The Census reported that 82,606 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 69 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 247 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 24,331 households, out of which 13,143 (54.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,122 (62.2%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 3,196 (13.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,627 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,501 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 184 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,326 households (13.7%) were made up of individuals and 1,026 (4.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40. There were 19,945 families
(82.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.72.
The population was spread out with 26,668 people (32.2%) under the age of 18, 7,476 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 23,826 people (28.7%) aged 25 to 44, 19,202 people (23.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,750 people (6.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.3 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
There were 25,963 housing units at an average density of 1,172.7 per square mile (452.8/km²), of which 16,163 (66.4%) were owner-occupied, and 8,168 (33.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 54,275 people (65.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 28,331 people (34.2%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 56,929 people, 17,620 households, and 14,307 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,046.7/km² (2,711.3/mi²). There were 18,087 housing units at an average density of 332.5/km² (861.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.22% White, 5.48% African American, 0.91% Native American, 8.14% Asian, 0.55% Pacific Islander, 13.08% from other races
, and 6.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.69% of the population.
There were 17,620 households out of which 51.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,794, and the median income for a family was $67,464. Males had a median income of $50,095 versus $35,143 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $21,397. About 5.2% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
operates the Tracy Post Office and the Tracy Carrier Annex.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
operates the Deuel Vocational Institution
, a state prison, in unincorporated
San Joaquin County
, near Tracy
. This school system incorporates many elementary and middle schools as well as six Tracy high schools: Tracy High School
, Merrill F. West High School
, Delta Charter High School
, Millennium Charter High School, John C. Kimball High School
, and Mountain House High School, which is planned to open in 2014. Tracy's expelled students attend the Willow community day school, and the Tracy One Program, or Community One. The other two school districts are: Lammersville Joint Unified School District
and Jefferson School District which incorporates the south side of Tracy and includes four schools: Jefferson Middle School, Hawkins School, Monticello Elementary School and Anthony C. Traina School.
runs fours line that serve as circulators between major transit hubs, shopping, school, residential and downtown areas. San Joaquin Regional Transit District
(SMART) runs two local routes that connect the city with other San Joaquin County communities and six commuter services that run to Dublin/Pleasanton BART station
and job centers in the South Bay and Livermore. Naglee Park and Ride Lot
by the West Valley Mall
serves as a major commuter hub to BART and jobs in the South Bay. Greyhound, Tracer, and SMART all connect with taxis, bike stations, and parking at the Tracy Transit Center
, a transit station built in 2010.
Amtrak Buses connect serve the city's Amtrak Bus Station with six daily trips to the South Bay and two to San Francisco, all of which stop at BART and job centers in Livermore.
To meet the future transportation needs which will connect San Joaquin Valley with the Bay Area, there are two Transit Stations in Tracy. One is located downtown and is currently designated for bus service, but is being considered as a possible location for California High-Speed Rail.
South Tracy offers the Altamont Commuter Express
(ACE) service at Tracy (ACE station)
, which provides commuter rail transportation to the Bay Area and connects with VTA in San Jose
, BART via shuttle in Dublin
and Fremont
, in addition to Amtrak train in Santa Clara
and San Jose.
passes along the north side of the city and connects the nearby Interstates 580
to the west and 5 on the east, with the three Interstates forming a triangle around much of the city. In addition, Business Loop 205 runs through the center of Tracy along 11th Street, formerly a portion of U.S. Highway 50.
, located south of the city. It serves general aviation
; there is no scheduled airline service from the airport.
, a once-weekly newspaper
owned since the 19th century by the Matthews family. Bilingual Weekly News
covers Tracy bi-weekly in English and Spanish
is Memuro, Japan
. However, Tracy's Sister City Association sends people to both Memuro and Velas
in the Azores
.
San Joaquin County, California
San Joaquin County is a county located in Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 685,306. The county seat is Stockton.-History:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.
History
The origins of Tracy are related to the mid-19th century construction of Central Pacific RailroadCentral Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
lines running from Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
through Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
and to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. A number of small communities sprang up along these lines, including the one named for railroad director Lathrop J. Tracy. Incorporated in 1910, Tracy grew rapidly and prospered as an agricultural area even when railroad operations began to decline in the 1950s. Beginning in the 1980s, Tracy experienced a growth spurt as people migrated to the city looking for a more affordable alternative to Bay Area home prices and also for a less hectic lifestyle. A steady period of growth ensued, as many companies found Tracy an ideal location for their distribution facilities. The city today is home to several of these distribution facilities and is setting its sights on newer industries, including expansion of hi-tech companies from their existing Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
bases.
Geography and environment
Located in the Central ValleyCalifornia Central Valley
California's Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of California. It is home to California's most productive agricultural efforts. The valley stretches approximately from northwest to southeast inland and parallel to the Pacific Ocean coast. Its northern half is...
, Tracy sits near some fertile agricultural lands and some not so fertile agricultural lands (because of the hilly region west of Tracy), some of which (in the east and mostly north of Tracy because of the moist Delta river system) has come under increasing development pressure as the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
's vigorous population growth
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...
has spilled over into the Tracy area as well as other locations such as new town of Mountain House (because of TRAQC's Measure A in 1990) near the Bay Area's edge.
In an effort to reduce its impact on the environment, the city launched the Emerald Tracy Project in September 2009. City spokesman Matt Robinson said that if it succeeds, Tracy will be the second city after Riverside to satisfy the state’s goal for sustainable communities.
Tracy's climate is hot during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 90's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 93 °F (33.9 °C) degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 34 °F (1.1 °C). Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 38 F-change, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 22 F-change. The annual average precipitation at Tracy is 10.58 inches (268.7 mm). Rainfall is greatest in winter months (between November and March) and very low in summer (between June and August). The wettest month of the year is January with an average rainfall of 1.97 inches (50 mm).
Tire fire, South of Tracy
On August 7, 1998, a tire fireTire fire
Tire fires, where tires are stored, dumped or processed, exist in two forms: as fast-burning events, leading to almost immediate loss of control, and as slow-burning pyrolysis which can continue for over a decade. They are noted for being difficult to extinguish. Such fires produce a lot of smoke,...
ignited at S.F. Royster's Tire Disposal south of Tracy on South MacArthur Drive, near Linne Rd. The tire dump held over 7 million illegally stored tires and was allowed to burn for over two years before it was extinguished. Allowing the fire to burn was considered to be a better way to avoid groundwater contamination than putting it out. The cleanup cost $16.2 million and wound up contaminating [county] groundwater anyway.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Tracy had a population of 82,922. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,745.5 people per square mile (1,446.2/km²). The racial makeup of Tracy was 43,724 (52.7%) White, 5,953 (7.2%) African American, 715 (0.9%) Native American, 12,229 (14.7%) Asian, 747 (0.9%) Pacific Islander, 13,173 (15.9%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 6,381 (7.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30,557 persons (36.9%).
The Census reported that 82,606 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 69 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 247 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 24,331 households, out of which 13,143 (54.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,122 (62.2%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 3,196 (13.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,627 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,501 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 184 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,326 households (13.7%) were made up of individuals and 1,026 (4.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40. There were 19,945 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(82.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.72.
The population was spread out with 26,668 people (32.2%) under the age of 18, 7,476 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 23,826 people (28.7%) aged 25 to 44, 19,202 people (23.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,750 people (6.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.3 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
There were 25,963 housing units at an average density of 1,172.7 per square mile (452.8/km²), of which 16,163 (66.4%) were owner-occupied, and 8,168 (33.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 54,275 people (65.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 28,331 people (34.2%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 56,929 people, 17,620 households, and 14,307 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,046.7/km² (2,711.3/mi²). There were 18,087 housing units at an average density of 332.5/km² (861.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.22% White, 5.48% African American, 0.91% Native American, 8.14% Asian, 0.55% Pacific Islander, 13.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 6.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.69% of the population.
There were 17,620 households out of which 51.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,794, and the median income for a family was $67,464. Males had a median income of $50,095 versus $35,143 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $21,397. About 5.2% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Tracy Post Office and the Tracy Carrier Annex.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
operates the Deuel Vocational Institution
Deuel Vocational Institution
Deuel Vocational Institution is a state prison located in unincorporated San Joaquin County, California, near Tracy.-Facilities:DVI opened in 1953 and named for the late California state senator Charles H. Deuel who sponsored legislation establishing the institution. The facility has been...
, a state prison, in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County, California
San Joaquin County is a county located in Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 685,306. The county seat is Stockton.-History:...
, near Tracy
School districts
Three main school districts serve the city of Tracy. The largest and most recognized is the Tracy Unified School DistrictTracy Unified School District
Tracy Unified School District is a public school district in Tracy, California. As of 2006-07, there were 23 schools in the district.-Elementary schools:*Bohn Elementary School*Central Elementary School*Freiler School *Hirsch Elementary School...
. This school system incorporates many elementary and middle schools as well as six Tracy high schools: Tracy High School
Tracy High School
Tracy High School is a four-year public secondary school school located in Tracy, California, United States. Enrollment during the 2009-2010 school year was 2339 students....
, Merrill F. West High School
Merrill F. West High School
Merrill F. West High School is a four-year, public secondary school located on the northwest side of Tracy, California, United States. A member of the Tracy Unified School District, the school was founded in 1993. Enrollment for the 2009-2010 was 2,856 students.-History:Merrill F. West High School...
, Delta Charter High School
Delta Charter High School
Delta Charter High School is located on the outskirts of Tracy, California. DCHS has a student population of about 300.It is a Charter School focused on balancing a mix of both independent study and classroom instruction, and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.It also...
, Millennium Charter High School, John C. Kimball High School
John C. Kimball High School
John C. Kimball High School is an American public comprehensive high school in Tracy, California located south of 11th Street on Lammers Road.. Kimball High is the third comprehensive high school in the Tracy Unified School District and the school also serves the planned area of *Mountain House...
, and Mountain House High School, which is planned to open in 2014. Tracy's expelled students attend the Willow community day school, and the Tracy One Program, or Community One. The other two school districts are: Lammersville Joint Unified School District
Lammersville Joint Unified School District
Lammersville Joint Unified School district -formerly Lammersville Elementary school district is a Prekindergarten through twelfth grade Unified School district in Mountain House, California, which serves area west of Tracy and parts of Alameda County...
and Jefferson School District which incorporates the south side of Tracy and includes four schools: Jefferson Middle School, Hawkins School, Monticello Elementary School and Anthony C. Traina School.
Transportation
Public transportation
Tracy is served by several bus services, locally TracerTracer (bus)
Tracer is the public bus system for the city of Tracy, California, USA and the bus system is unique in that since 2002 every April and December the buses are 100% free to all riders.-Operations:...
runs fours line that serve as circulators between major transit hubs, shopping, school, residential and downtown areas. San Joaquin Regional Transit District
San Joaquin Regional Transit District
San Joaquin Regional Transit District is a transit district that provides bus service to the city of Stockton, California and the surrounding communities of Lodi, Ripon, Thornton, French Camp, Lathrop, Manteca, and Tracy.San Joaquin RTD operates 36 fixed routes to the Stockton metropolitan area,...
(SMART) runs two local routes that connect the city with other San Joaquin County communities and six commuter services that run to Dublin/Pleasanton BART station
Dublin/Pleasanton (BART station)
Dublin/Pleasanton is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station on the border of Dublin and Pleasanton. The station is fed by twenty local and regional bus lines from five different providers....
and job centers in the South Bay and Livermore. Naglee Park and Ride Lot
Naglee Park and Ride Lot
Naglee Park and Ride Lot is a transit center in Tracy, California. The lot serves as a bus hub for transportation on local, commuter, and long-distance bus services.Tracer and taxi services offer local connections...
by the West Valley Mall
West Valley Mall
West Valley Mall is a mall in Tracy, California that opened in 1995. It is owned and operated by General Growth Properties and is located directly off of Highway 205. Anchor stores include JCPenney, Target, Macy's, and Sears....
serves as a major commuter hub to BART and jobs in the South Bay. Greyhound, Tracer, and SMART all connect with taxis, bike stations, and parking at the Tracy Transit Center
Tracy Transit Center
Tracy Transit Center is a bus station in Tracy, California. The facility serves as a bus hub for transportation on local, commuter, and long-distance bus services....
, a transit station built in 2010.
Amtrak Buses connect serve the city's Amtrak Bus Station with six daily trips to the South Bay and two to San Francisco, all of which stop at BART and job centers in Livermore.
To meet the future transportation needs which will connect San Joaquin Valley with the Bay Area, there are two Transit Stations in Tracy. One is located downtown and is currently designated for bus service, but is being considered as a possible location for California High-Speed Rail.
South Tracy offers the Altamont Commuter Express
Altamont Commuter Express
The Altamont Commuter Express is a regional rail service in California connecting Stockton with San Jose....
(ACE) service at Tracy (ACE station)
Tracy (ACE station)
Tracy Station is a rail station in southern Tracy, California on the edge of the San Francisco Bay Area.The station is served by commuter Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose Diridon Station and Stockton...
, which provides commuter rail transportation to the Bay Area and connects with VTA in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, BART via shuttle in Dublin
Dublin, California
Dublin is a suburban city of the East Bay region of Alameda County, California, United States. Located along the north side of Interstate 580 at the intersection with Interstate 680, roughly east of Hayward, west of Livermore and north of San Jose, it was named after the city of Dublin in...
and Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
, in addition to Amtrak train in Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
and San Jose.
Major highways
Interstate 205Interstate 205 (California)
Interstate 205 is a short Interstate Highway that connects Interstate 5 with Interstate 580 in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Along with those highways, I-205 forms the north side of a triangle around the city of Tracy...
passes along the north side of the city and connects the nearby Interstates 580
Interstate 580 (California)
Interstate 580 is an 80-mile east–west Interstate Highway in Northern California. The heavily traveled spur route of Interstate 80 runs from San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay Area to Interstate 5 near Tracy in the Central Valley...
to the west and 5 on the east, with the three Interstates forming a triangle around much of the city. In addition, Business Loop 205 runs through the center of Tracy along 11th Street, formerly a portion of U.S. Highway 50.
Aviation
Tracy is served by Tracy Municipal AirportTracy Municipal Airport (California)
Tracy Municipal Airport is a nontowered, public airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Tracy, a city in San Joaquin County, California, United States. It is owned by the City of Tracy.Although most U.S...
, located south of the city. It serves general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
; there is no scheduled airline service from the airport.
Local media
Tracy's daily newspaper is the Tracy PressTracy Press
The Tracy Press is a weekday newspaper published in Tracy, California, United States. Established in 1898, the Tracy Press has been operated by the Matthews family since 1943. It is currently one of the few family-owned newspapers in California still in existence...
, a once-weekly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
owned since the 19th century by the Matthews family. Bilingual Weekly News
Bilingual Weekly News
Bilingual Weekly is a Spanish and English language newspaper covering San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties in the California Central Valley. Originally centered on the need of original, local and useful information for the area’s growing Latino community, Bilingual Weekly now covers a spectrum of...
covers Tracy bi-weekly in English and Spanish
Sister city
Tracy's sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
is Memuro, Japan
Memuro, Hokkaido
is a town located in Kasai District, Tokachi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 19,315 and a density of 35.12 persons per km². The total area is 513.91 km²....
. However, Tracy's Sister City Association sends people to both Memuro and Velas
Velas
Velas is a municipality in the São Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality encompasses the western portion of the island, with its municipal seat in the town of Velas on the south coast and divided into six parishes....
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
Media exposure
- Tracy was mentioned in Hunter S. ThompsonHunter S. ThompsonHunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
's book, "Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs." - Tracy was mentioned in Jack KerouacJack KerouacJean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
's book, "On the RoadOn the RoadOn the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, written in April 1951, and published by Viking Press in 1957. It is a largely autobiographical work that was based on the spontaneous road trips of Kerouac and his friends across mid-century America. It is often considered a defining work of...
." - The parade scene in the film "The CandidateThe Candidate (1972 film)The Candidate is a 1972 American film starring Robert Redford. Its themes include how the political machine corrupts. There are many parallels between the then-recent 1970 California Senate election between John V. Tunney and George Murphy; however, Redford's character Bill McKay is a political...
" starring Robert Redford was filmed in Tracy. - The Tracy High SchoolTracy High SchoolTracy High School is a four-year public secondary school school located in Tracy, California, United States. Enrollment during the 2009-2010 school year was 2339 students....
football field and MVP trophy are named after Peter B. KynePeter B. KynePeter B. Kyne was an American novelist who wrote between 1904 and 1940. Many of his works were adapted into screenplays starting in the silent era, particularly his first novel, The Three Godfathers, which was published in 1913 and proved to be a huge success...
, a novelist from San Francisco whose Bohemian ClubBohemian ClubThe Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
friends orchestrated the naming in 1927, even though Kyne had very little to do with Tracy. - Kathy GriffinKathy GriffinKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
recorded her CD "Kathy Griffin: For Your Consideration" live on February 17, 2008 at the ETK Theatre at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy. - Tracy was the home of Sandra Cantu, a child who was found dead, the apparent victim of homicide, in the city sometime in March or April 2009. She was reported missing on March 27, 2009. On April 6, 2009, farmworkers found her body inside a suitcase after draining an irrigation pond. On April 10, 2009 police arrested 28-year-old Melissa Huckaby.
Notable Tracyites
- Sandra Cantu
- Troy DayakTroy DayakTroy Dayak is a former American soccer player who played as central defender. He spent his entire Major League Soccer career with the San Jose Clash/Earthquakes and nearly all of his professional career playing for Bay Area teams.-San Francisco Bay Blackhawks:Dayak grew up in Walnut Creek,...
- soccer player/coach - Nick EddyNick EddyNicholas Matthew Eddy was raised in Tracy, California. A broad-shouldered 6 feet, 195 lbs, he attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. Eddy was a standout running back and kick returner. Eddy was an All-American halfback, leading Notre Dame to the 1966 National...
- former NFL player - Rod LaurenRod LaurenRod Lauren Strunk was an American actor and singer.As an actor, he worked mostly in television, appearing in single episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. amongst others during the 1960s...
- singer/actor - Richard PomboRichard PomboRichard William Pombo is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
- former United States Representative - Keena TurnerKeena TurnerKeena Turner , is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 1980 NFL Draft and traded on draft day to the San Francisco 49ers. A 6'2" 237 pound linebacker from Purdue University, Turner played in 11 NFL seasons and spent his entire...
- football star - MC HammerMC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
- rapper, dancer, entertainer, actor, business entrepreneurEntrepreneurAn entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to... - Thia MegiaThia MegiaThia Megia is an American singer from Mountain House, San Joaquin County, California. Megia finished in the top 11 of the tenth season of American Idol...
- singer, finalist on American Idol season tenAmerican Idol (season 10)The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
. - DevDev (singer)Devin Star Tailes , better known by her stage name Dev, is an American singer. She was discovered by The Cataracs via MySpace after her friend Shane Crislip, posted her singing to some beats...
- pop singerPop Singer"Pop Singer" is the début single from London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in February, 1996 through WEA. The single was released as a 2 track CD Single and limited edition pink 7" vinyl of 1000 copies...