U.S. Route 101 Old Redwood Highway Completion July 31, 2015

State of California • Department of Transportation

NEWS RELEASE

Date: July 30, 2015
District: 4 - Oakland
Contact: Allyn Amsk (Caltrans)
Phone: (510) 286-5445

Seana Gause (SCTA)
(707) 565-5373

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CALTRANS AND TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF
U.S. ROUTE 101 OLD REDWOOD HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE PROJECT

SONOMA COUNTY – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA), and the City of Petaluma held a ribbon-cutting event today to celebrate the completion of the U.S. Route 101 Old Redwood Highway Interchange Improvement Project in Petaluma. The project improves transportation options for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

The new interchange features a new overpass with four traffic lanes, new, two-lane on and off-ramps, bicycle lanes in each direction, and Americans with Disabilities Act -compliant pedestrian paths in each direction. The highway was also widened to accommodate standard road shoulders, and new sound walls were built. Additionally, in light of the serious drought, the landscaping plants are native to arid zones and require little watering.

“This project not only improves the transportation for the North Bay,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty, “it also enhances the safety, mobility, and livability for the residents of Sonoma County.”

The $41 million construction project includes $4.6 million from Proposition 1B, the statewide transportation bond passed by voters in the November 2006 general election, $19.8 million in local funding from Measure M, approved by Sonoma County voters in 2004, and $16.5 million in City of Petaluma funds. The project broke ground on April 25, 2013.

“The 101 corridor is our highest priority, and the Old Redwood Highway Interchange project gets us that much closer to our overall goal of completing three lanes all the way to the county line,” said Sonoma County Supervisor and SCTA Director David Rabbitt.

“It’s ambitious,” said Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi. “We built a new interchange in the same footprint as the old interchange, while still keeping the facility open to the public. There have been many challenges along the way, but the community will now benefit from the new transportation options for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.”

“This project has been a long time in coming and is a welcome addition to our cross-town traffic network,” said Petaluma Vice-Mayor and SCTA Director Kathy Miller. “It opens up additional lanes across 101, and adds bike lanes to our existing facilities. I couldn’t be happier that it is completed!”

Across the state, Proposition 1B funding has been programmed for high-priority transportation corridor improvements, state highway safety and rehabilitation projects, local street and road improvement, congestion relief, and other projects to improve California's aging infrastructure. To date, the state has allocated more than $18 billion in Proposition 1B funds for transportation purposes statewide.

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