Key funding decision on future of Highway 37 in North Bay, which could be underwater by 2050
NOVATO, Calif. (KGO) -- Highway 37, a key route to the North Bay's wine country that could be underwater by 2050, is at the center of a funding decision as transportation officials consider long-awaited improvements aimed at addressing flooding, traffic congestion and rising sea levels.
The California Transportation Commission is scheduled to meet Friday morning to determine whether nearly $100 million will be approved for the project.
If approved, the funding would help launch a larger $190 million project that includes bridge repairs, tidal habitat restoration and the eventual replacement of the most flood-prone section of Highway 37 with an elevated causeway.
Advocates have pushed for improvements to the highway for decades, citing traffic delays, flooding and the threat of rising sea levels. According to the proposal, the improvements are designed to address those challenges while improving the corridor's long-term reliability.
MORE: Bay Area communities step up flood preps as CA could face 'historic' El Niño winter
Rep. Mike Thompson highlighted the potential economic benefits of the project.
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"It's about the jobs it will create and also about jobs that people who drive back and forth on this road and the businesses that rely on those people to be at work and to deliver," Thompson said.
Thompson also pointed to the estimated 40,000 people who use the roadway daily, saying drivers can spend up to 90 minutes in traffic. He said the delays mean longer commutes, less time with family and increased pollution from idling vehicles.
The California Transportation Commission meeting will take place in San Diego. Officials are expected to decide whether to approve the funding request during the session.
