Westside Regional Park boat launch open

The newly expanded boat launch at Westside Regional Park in Bodega Bay has fully opened after a month of weekend-only use that allowed contractors to finish renovations during the week.

The ramp is now 45 feet wide with three launch lanes, new docks and more parking spaces. It also features a wheelchair accessible kayak launch - the first in the county, parks personnel said. The fish cleaning station and picnic sites also have been upgraded.

The boat launch on the north side of Bodega Harbor is extremely popular for recreational fishermen, and there's typically a crush of people waiting in line during the opening of each fishery.

It was widened and reopened in time for the start of the sport crab season Nov. 5. But until this week, it had been closed Monday through Thursday while crews continued their work.

The $1.8 million project was funded by the California Department of Boating and Waterways.