Marin road repair projects get $6.2M state infusion

Traffic travels along Highway 101 north of Tiburon Boulevard on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The California Transportation Commission has allocated $1.1 million for infrastructure work along the stretch of highway. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)

The California Transportation Commission is investing nearly $6.2 million in Marin’s highways, with some projects focused on repairing damage left by winter storms.

The commission announced the funding this month as part of a nearly $2 billion allocation across the state. Overall, funds are supporting improvements for roads, transit, bridges and infrastructure for walking and biking.

In Marin, six projects are getting a funding boost, including work along rural Highway 1, the Highway 101 corridor and the bayfront Highway 37.

“The County of Marin Department of Public Works supports Caltrans’ investments in the state highway system within Marin County,” said Chris Blunk, head of engineering for the county department.

Blunk said the highways are vital routes serving residents, businesses and visitors, and county staffers are interested in ensuring the safety and usability of the roads to minimize inconvenience to motorists during construction.

“County staff have been and will continue to work with Caltrans in the development and delivery of Caltrans’ projects,” Blunk said.

The largest investment in this round of funding is $1.95 million to repair a storm-damaged section of Highway 1 near Tomales-Petaluma Road. Heavy downpour from storms in January through February caused a landslide from a slope that spilled debris onto the route.

Construction began in February, said Matt O’Donnell, a spokesperson for Caltrans.

Another $1.4 million is supporting a project on Tiburon Boulevard at Stewart Drive to repair a sinkhole. That involves reconstructing a sidewalk, removing sediment underneath pavement, repaving the road and replacing a damaged culvert and utility vault, among other work. The sinkhole was reported in January.

A project on Highway 1 near Muir Beach is getting $1.3 million to repair a damaged drainage system, stabilize an embankment and pave the road. The project is in response to a sinkhole caused by culvert failure during January storms.

A $1.1 million allocation will support work to restore slope, regrade a ditch and install erosion control on Highway 101 about a half-mile north of Tiburon Boulevard.

On Highway 1 near Point Reyes Station and Olema, $320,000 will support a $1.45 million pavement project.

Another $118,000 is supporting the Novato Creek Bridge replacement project on Highway 37. That project is part of the larger overhaul of Highway 37 to address sea-level rise in the flood-prone commuter route.

The latest allocations include nearly $430 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and $740 million from Senate Bill 1, also known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

The funding comes a few months after the California Transportation Commission announced a $7.5 million investment in Marin’s roads. That allocation focused on bicycle and pedestrian upgrades and road repair.

“California’s transportation infrastructure is critical to the economic and cultural lifeblood of our state,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said. “This funding provides key support in our mission to provide a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system for all users.”