State pact seeks to advance fixes to Highway 37 flooding and traffic woes

A coalition of state traffic and environmental agencies announced Wednesday they will work together to redesign Highway 37, the North Bay’s key east-west route, adding new lanes in each direction to help unclog traffic and advancing other near-term fixes to address chronic flooding problems.

The effort, which state and local officials touted as historic, focuses on the 21-mile state highway linking Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties from Interstate 80 in the east to Highway 101 at Novato in the west. Daily, it is traversed by 40,000 vehicles.

Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, one of several local and state officials who have championed solutions for the route, hailed the partnership as a “significant milestone” that will reduce congestion and address climate change.

Highway 37 runs along the top of San Pablo Bay, in places just feet from the water line, exposing the roadway to frequent storm-related flooding. Sea level rise is expected to make those problems worse, and experts have for years contended the entire road could be under water within several decades.

Dodd previously introduced legislation to turn a stretch of Highway 37 between Sears Point and Mare Island into a toll road to raise money for improvements, but his bill failed last year.

“Fixing the bottleneck is critical for everyone who lives and works in the North Bay,” Dodd said. “Protecting against flooding and habitat destruction is another priority as we make this highway more resilient to sea level rise. I look forward to assisting the partner agencies to get the job done.”

The partner agencies include Caltrans, the California Natural Resources Agency, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, California State Transportation Agency, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

Their agreement lays out a series of goals that are mostly procedural in nature.

The partnership appears geared to advance near-term projects that include adding a lane in each direction on the easternmost 10-mile stretch, between Mare Island and Sears Point, and converting the existing lane in each direction into an HOV lane, according to Wednesday’s announcement.

The widening is expected to cost about $500 million and take about five years to complete, said John Goodwin, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Construction could begin in 2027, according to a planning schedule.

The new lane is proposed to be tolled to encourage ride-sharing and transit use and to raise funds for upgrades. The toll option will be pursued through the California Transportation Commission, according to the Wednesday announcement.

Other short-term work on the highway would aim to address flood risks, the partners said.

The announcement also referenced longer term fixes envisioned for the entire roadway, including a proposal to create a raised viaduct, seen by many as the best way to prevent the highway from being overtaken by sea level rise. The estimated price tag for that overhaul was previously pegged at more than $3 billion.

There’s no funding or construction start date on the long-term project.

Bicycle lanes, pedestrian paths and rail connectivity also were mentioned in Wednesday’s announcement.

Goodwin said the agreement ensures state parties are on the same page and focused on a single goal.

Otherwise, he added, “There would have been more uncertainty. And uncertainty equals delays and delays equals expense, because time is money.”

Rep. Jared Huffman, who represents Marin County and part of Sonoma County, said he was pleased an agreement was reached but he questioned the interim widening project it would advance.

The new lanes would be added across wetlands, at a cost of “at least $500 million,” he said in a statement, and the affected stretch could be under water 15 years after completion.

The San Rafael Democrat, a former environmental attorney, called the project’s environmental report “flawed” and the partnership’s agreement “vague” and “carefully worded to avoid any binding, enforceable provisions.”

“Those who share my concerns about the interim project and those who share my strong support for the ultimate project will need to stay engaged and keep working to ensure that the improved messaging reflected in this partnership agreement translates to actual improvements in the interim project,” Huffman said.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi