Stretch of westbound Highway 37 reopen after flooding

That flooded stretch of westbound Highway 37 near Novato opened early Tuesday, said the CHP.

It was ready for morning commuters just after 4 a.m., said CHP Officer Andrew Barclay. Drivers had been diverted to one lane along nearby Atherton Avenue.

The major highway route, connecting Marin, Sonoma and Solano counties, closed last week due to flooding. Eastbound lanes were open late last week but westbound lanes remained waterlogged due to extra high water in an adjoining field coming from a full, nearby reservoir.

Caltrans pumped the field for days and the water finally dropped enough to allow traffic on the roadway. “Having that roadway reopen is a big help to the community and local residents,” Barclay said.

Last week’s fierce storms flooded many area roadways and highways, impacting lives and transit throughout the region.

In Sonoma County, stretches of five rural roads remained closed Tuesday due to slides, including Old Monte Rio Road, Mays Canyon Road in Guerneville and Kruse Ranch Road in Fort Ross.

“We’ve got storms coming this week,” Barclay said. “We’re trying to finish recovery from the last series of storms and we’re getting ready for the next.”

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.