It is Marin and Sonoma commuters’ worst nightmare — the traffic jam that often starts in Novato and goes, on and off, all the way to Petaluma. Those days of traffic frustration for the drivers of the estimated 146,000 cars and 6,900 trucks that regularly travel that corridor (pre-pandemic) are coming to an end.
In December, the California Transportation Commission approved $40.1 million (to be used in conjunction with Regional Measure 3 funds) to widen the last bit of roadway from Novato to the Marin/Sonoma county line and to build 3.5 miles of northbound carpool lanes and 6 miles of southbound lanes in the area. This last bit of construction will complete the widening of the 17-mile corridor and allow for a 50-mile HOV network from north of the Golden Gate Bridge to Santa Rosa.
“We have waited over 20 years to finally say this is the last piece to complete the Marin-Sonoma Narrows; no more deaths from cars entering 101 from side streets, and less greenhouse gas from vehicles idling in long lines,” says Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold. “In short, this completion is a testament to the patience and cooperation between two counties and their state and federal agencies.”
