A 4km stretch of California’s busy North Bay commuter route will be reconstructed at a cost of US$1.6 billion. The road connects I-80 with SR 101 and the project is being planned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The 34km North Bay commuter route, SR 67, suffers heavy traffic congestion at peak periods ‘and is also impacted by uneven subsidence and intermittent storm-related flooding in several areas’ according to Caltrans.
The flooding is expected to worsen so the road will be reconstructed along a raised causeway, addressing the effects of climate change for the route. This work will be carried out in two stages and the first will see the Novato Creek Bridge being reconfigured, taking until mid-2029 to compete. The second stage will see the rest of the highway being built on a causeway, which will include facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Once the 34.75m-wide causeway has been completed in 2049, the current road link will be removed.