Transportation

Planning for freeway connector in Marin begins

Highway 101 in Marin County. Transportation Authority of Marin photo.

Outreach continues as the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) starts the planning and environmental phase of a proposed project to construct a direct highway connection from northbound US-101 to eastbound I-580 in Marin County, according to the agency. 

Currently, drivers who wish to access the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (I-580) via northbound US-101 have to exit the freeway and travel on East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or across Bellam Boulevard to the bridge entrance. Having to drive on local streets causes congestion and traffic delays on northbound US 101 and on local streets, including Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Bellam Boulevard. 

The proposed project will allow vehicles to continue along US-101 northbound onto a new highway connector in San Rafael and merge directly onto I-580 eastbound toward the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. 

TAM will complete the environmental analysis to evaluate options and work with the community and stakeholders to select a preferred alternative. This project is a collaborative effort between TAM, Caltrans and the cities of San Rafael and Larkspur.   

Regional Measure 3, approved by Bay Area voters in 2018, is a key source of funding for the proposed project. The California Supreme Court last year agreed to hear an appeal of a 2019 ruling by the Superior Court for the City and County of San Francisco that upheld Regional Measure 3.

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