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Officials present Highway 37 near-term fixes and long-term resilience plans including a diverging-diamond concept and tolling options
Summary
A regional presentation outlined near-term shoulder-to-lane improvements and a proposed diverging-diamond interchange to ease bottlenecks on Highway 37, discussed environmental constraints, estimated costs, and suggested tolling and transit as funding and demand-management tools.
A multi-agency presentation described proposed near-term and long-term changes to Highway 37 intended to reduce severe congestion and adapt the corridor to sea-level rise.
An agency official presented data showing heavy peak-hour flows through the Sears Point–Mare Island bottleneck and proposed near-term improvements that repurpose existing shoulders to add a lane in each direction. The presentation said the change could open to traffic in roughly five years and serve as an expedited relief while longer-term resilience work is developed.
The longer-term vision presented includes an elevated four-lane causeway with a separated bicycle and pedestrian path. The speaker said the multimodal approach is expected to take 15 to 20 years and cost "billions of dollars" that are not yet fully funded. The project overview also described a diverging-diamond interchange (DDI) at Fairgrounds Drive as a design option to reduce wait times and improve safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Presenters discussed tolling as a practical funding tool to repay development loans, fund ongoing maintenance and serve as a match to regional, state and federal dollars. The presentation also stated that toll collection would not begin until physical improvements and transit alternatives were in place and that an equitable tolling program, with low-income discounts, would be developed.
Speakers acknowledged environmental constraints around wetlands and marsh habitat, noting specific restoration measures such as the Tule Creek bridge replacement and Strip Marsh East enhancement to support endangered species and restore tidal flows.
The session cited a federal grant of $155,000,000 awarded to a related Marin County flood-reduction project from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and an estimated $500,000,000 figure mentioned for Sears Point to Mare Island improvements during the presentation.
Questions and community engagement were encouraged; the presentation framed the work as a phased approach combining near-term operational changes with long-term resilience investments.
