Resilient 37 - Sonoma County Transportation Authority

Planning a More Resilient
Highway 37 for All

Think about Highway 37 as more than just a commute! The future of this corridor demands finding solutions to chronic traffic congestion and periodic flooding. But it will also require balancing transportation needs with protecting and enhancing sensitive marshland habitats. Planning a long-term solution presents an opportunity to provide bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and carpool options for all travelers.

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Get Involved

Get involved in planning Highway 37: resilient, reliable, safer, and built to last for all travelers!
To learn more about the planning processes and how to provide your valued input:

Public Meetings
Previous Public Meeting:

SR 37 Flood Reduction Project – Second Scoping Meeting
December 14, 2022

Caltrans hosted a second virtual public scoping meeting on December 14, 2022 for the proposed SR37 Flood Reduction Project. The purpose of the proposed Project is to address reoccurring flooding issues in low lying areas on SR 37 and accommodate projected 2130 sea level rise. During the first public scoping meeting held on November 17, 2021, Caltrans presented one build alternative that proposed raising the highway on an embankment and modifying four structures and the no-build alternative.

In response to public comments received during the public scoping period, Caltrans reduced the proposed project limits to now extend from U.S. 101 to the Atherton Avenue Undercrossing in Marin County. There are now two build alternatives, which both propose a causeway instead of the originally proposed embankment.

Click here to view the meeting presentation slides

Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study
September 14, 2022

The goal of the PEL Study is to collaboratively develop planning alternatives that address corridor-wide transportation needs while considering the concerns of communities, agencies, stakeholders, and the public. The PEL Study will lay out a vision for the SR 37 corridor by including different needs, activities, projects, and next steps in one umbrella document, and will help Caltrans understand the sequencing for short-term and longer-term solutions for sea level rise and extreme weather events.

Click here to watch the public meeting

Presentation Materials: English (PDF), Espanol (PDF), Tagalog (PDF)

Meeting Summary: Click here to read the meeting summary.

Help Plan for the Future of State Route 37: Ultimate Solution for US 101 to I-80 Corridor
January 25, 2022

The State Route 37 (SR 37) Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study team invites you to a virtual public meeting on January 25, 2022. At the meeting, staff will update stakeholders and the public on the PEL Study, the Purpose and Need statement, and gather input on the evaluation criteria and preliminary alternatives.

It is critical that community members who rely on SR 37 have opportunities to provide input on the planning process. Mark your calendar for January 25 and join the meeting to share your ideas for the future of the SR 37 Corridor. Details will be posted on the project website.

Please click here to watch the public meeting

Presentation Materials: English (PDF), Espanol (PDF), Tagalog (PDF)

Meeting Summary: Click here to read the meeting summary.
State Route 37 Sears Point to Mare Island Improvement Project
Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has initiated a public review period and is conducting a virtual public meeting on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed State Route [SR] 37 Sears Point to Mare Island Improvement Project in Sonoma, Napa, and Solano counties.

Caltrans — in cooperation with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the North Bay partner agencies of Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Solano Transportation Authority, and Napa Valley Transportation Authority — is proposing traffic operational improvements to SR 37 in Sonoma, Napa, and Solano Counties between Sears Point (Son-37-Post Miles 2.9/6.2) and Mare Island (Sol-37-Post Miles 0.0/R7.4) to provide congestion relief, reduce peak travel times, and increase vehicle occupancy.

Please click here to view the video recording of this meeting

Please click here to view the meeting announcement.
Click here to view the project fact sheet.

Draft EIR/EA:
Caltrans has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) for the proposed project. It is available online at Caltrans District 4 Environmental Documents webpage.

Presentation

State Route 37 Sears Point to Mare Island Improvement Project

View SR37 Partnership Agreement
View Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study
Watch This YouTube Video
Click here to watch
Provide a comment or sign up for email updates

StateRoute37@dot.ca.gov
Call the Highway 37 Public Information Line

(510) 286-1204
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SR37 on Facebook and Twitter

One Corridor, One Team, Many Solutions

While Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and transportation authorities for Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties are already implementing short-term improvements, other challenges require a suite of longer-term solutions:

1.) An Ultimate Resilient Design Alternatives Assessment focused on Highway 37 within Marin and Sonoma counties between U.S. 101 and Highway 121.

Please click here to view the recent update on the DAA provided to the State Route Policy Committee on January 6, 2022.

2.) A Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan collaboratively identifies goals, corridor needs and challenges, and project priorities for various modes of travel to inform decision-making and future funding.

Click Here to view the Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan

3.) A corridor-wide effort known as the Planning and Environmental Linkage study will identify and narrow the range of alternatives to be advanced for environmental review and construction.

Please click here for further information on the Planning and Environmental Linkages Study.

Short-Term Actions Underway:

SR37 Projects | Caltrans

How High Should the Future Highway 37 Be?

The level of the San Francisco Bay could rise five to seven feet by 2100 under high greenhouse gas emission scenarios, according to 2018 projections by the California Ocean Protection Council. With high tides during a large storm, this translates into the need to raise Highway 37 by at least 20 feet.

Project Study Areas

Click here for an interactive map to further explore the project study areas.

SR37_web_mockup_v2_project_area_map_legend

Learn More: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Vision for Highway 37?

A long-term plan should last a generation or more. We need to anticipate changes in the landscape and the transportation needs of the region. Think of the people and the areas that Highway 37 serves, how the highway interacts with the built environment and wildlife, and how future residents will be using this area. That is where a vision starts.

How Will My Input Be Used?

The Highway 37 Team is seeking input from engaged stakeholders and members of the public to inform solutions and strategies. Your recommendations will be summarized and forwarded to transportation planners and highway designers.

A highway has many elements—alignment route, travel lanes, connection points, bridges, and waterway passages—with options for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit. Highway 37 is affected by the surrounding landscape, including agricultural lands, natural habitat, and the built environment. What elements do you see as part of the solution and what considerations should be evaluated or protected? It’s One Corridor – many solutions! Your ideas will help shape these potential solutions, the evaluation, and the final project.

When Can We Expect These Improvements?

Our team is taking a phased approach; addressing the most immediate challenges now, while we seek your input on longer-term solutions. Work has already begun on some of the shorter-term solutions, including raising the roadway and installing floodwalls in areas most vulnerable to flooding. Another short-term project is reducing congestion through the addition of a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane between Highway 121 and Mare Island.

Medium- and long-term solutions will require more study and evaluation by engineers, regulators, and the public. The roadmap below outlines the primary planning phases and key milestones all the way through construction. As you can see, there will be lots of opportunities for public input throughout the process.

Who Can Participate in the Planning Process?

Everyone is encouraged to participate.

A Collaborative Team of Agencies