Sinking Highway 37: $220M Bridge Fix Underway

The state has allocated $220 million to replace the Novato Creek Bridge, a low concrete span situated over sinking marshland. This significant investment is a primary early action in a larger initiative to modernize Highway 37, a vital corridor threatened by rising sea levels.

Agencies are urgently seeking funding to prevent extensive portions of the freeway from being inundated by San Pablo Bay. Recent approvals include nearly $100 million for upgrades between Vallejo and Sears Point, alongside the substantial award for the Novato Creek Bridge.

Highway 37, a 21-mile route connecting Interstate 80 in Vallejo to Highway 101 in Novato, is highly susceptible to flooding. Caltrans frequently closes sections during severe winter storms, as occurred for 27 days in 2017 and eight days in 2019. Climate experts predict the highway could be submerged by 2050.

With over $300 million in state funds now secured, work will begin on various parts of the route. This includes repairs to the Tolay Creek Bridge in Sonoma County, widening an intersection, and designing new toll lanes. Crucially, construction will start on a new 26-foot Novato Creek Bridge, engineered to be high enough to combat atmospheric rivers and bay encroachment.

State transportation officials anticipate advertising contracts for the Novato Creek Bridge replacement and the Sears Point to Mare Island project within weeks. If bids are secured, contract signing and commencement of work could begin in early 2027. The ultimate goal is to transform the entire freeway into an elevated causeway, a monumental project estimated to cost $11 billion.