Sen. Dodd: Committee Passes Hwy. 37 Improvement and Resiliency Bills

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to ease congestion along Highway 37 and protect it from sea-level rise by authorizing a toll to pay for critical improvements and by tapping roughly $2 billion in federal infrastructure funding.

“With the highway projected to be underwater in 20 years, congestion and seasonal flooding will only get worse,” Sen. Dodd said. “We must take action if we want to preserve this vital link to jobs and family. Creating a dedicated funding stream and leveraging federal dollars is the only way we can afford these critical improvements that will keep this artery working, while reducing daily commute times.”

For years, traffic jams and seasonal flooding have plagued the 21-mile Highway 37, which runs from Interstate 80 to Highway 101, connecting Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. Caltrans recently estimated that because of climate change, the section along San Pablo Bay could be fully immersed within 20 years, cutting off a regional artery serving 40,000 motorists a day. Transportation planners are identifying solutions, including building a raised causeway that would cost billions of dollars.

In response, Sen. Dodd has introduced two bills. The first, Senate Bill 1050, authorizes creation of a toll between Mare Island and Sears Point. The revenue would finance construction costs and environmental remediation, and it could be used to leverage state and federal funding. The second bill, SB 1049, directs $1.9 billion in federal infrastructure funds to climate-adaptive transit projects including along Highway 37.

A prior version of the legislation was introduced in 2020 but withdrawn because of the pandemic. Sen. Dodd’s proposals have broad support from community leaders, environmental organizations, business groups and regional transportation officials.

SB 1049 and SB 1050 both passed the Senate Transportation committee today with overwhelming support.

 

“We need as many tools as possible to ensure Highway 37 stays open and safely serves the people traveling that corridor every day,” said Suzanne Smith, executive director of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority. “Right now, no one has any advantage in carpooling and transit doesn’t exist. With SB 1050 we will make much needed improvements quickly, provide alternative options for all users, and get to work on the long-term fix that will address climate change and restore critical habitat.”

 

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.