Press Release
Posted:
Washington – Today, Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and John Garamendi (CA-08) announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will receive $20 million from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to improve corridor resilience and prevent flooding impacts along a 10.4-mile section of State Route 37 spanning Solano, Napa, Sonoma and Marin counties.
“Millions of North Bay residents rely on State Route 37 both in their daily commutes and in times of evacuation following wildfires and major earthquakes,” said Rep. Mike Thompson. “As the highway faces risks from rising sea levels and traffic congestion, today’s grant will provide critical funding for roadway improvements to fortify our infrastructure against climate change, reduce emissions, and improve public safety and mobility.”
“This new federal funding will ensure that Highway 37, a critical evacuation and commuter route, remains open and uncongested. This funding will make it easier for Solano County residents to commute to and from Sonoma and Marin Counties and ultimately reach the Golden Gate Bridge. Congressman Thompson and I fought hard to secure this federal funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that we helped to enact. I continue working in Congress to bring home the federal funding needed to modernize and harden California’s infrastructure to climate change,” said Rep. John Garamendi.
The MTC serves as the transportation coordinating agency for the San Francisco Bay Area and will receive $20 million from the 2023 Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which Congressman Thompson proudly voted for to support, update, and improve our nation’s infrastructure. With this funding, the MTC will carry out its “Resilient State Route 37 – Sears Point to Mare Island Improvement Project” designed to fortify the highway against flooding, improve congestion, and maintain the thoroughfare as a critical evacuation route.
The project includes:
• Advancing time-sensitive ecological and resiliency improvements;
• Raising the roadway in low elevation segments prone to flooding; and
• Constructing slope protection and sheet pile walls to address roadway subsidence.
“This grant is a big step toward assembling the funding packages needed to meet the near-term and long-term challenges facing Highway 37,” said MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor, Alfredo Pedroza. “The ultimate goal is a comprehensive overhaul of the entire Highway 37 corridor to make it higher, safer, greener and built to withstand rising sea levels for many generations to come. In addition to adding carpool lanes in each direction to relieve the bottleneck from Sears Point to Mare Island, we’re also working to restore vital wetlands and reduce the risk of flooding along the route. The FHWA’s support shows this is not just an important Bay Area priority but a national priority too.”
The Route 37 improvement project is part of a larger corridor plan that will improve mobility, reduce emissions, and improve safety and public access to better serve North Bay residents.