WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) announced that an agreement has been reached today on the federal highway bill that will greatly benefit the North Bay.  Boxer and Woolsey secured $58 million toward a regional solution to North Bay traffic congestion that includes $27 million for the Novato Narrows, $5 million for SMART rail, $418,000 for CNG buses, $900,000 for bike and pedestrian routes and $25 million for a regional bicycle and pedestrian network.  These funds and projects were approved in the final version of the five year federal surface transportation reauthorization, the “Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (TEA-LU).   The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the final version of TEA-LU later this evening.

Even though the Conference Committee stripped many projects from the House version of the bill, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey fought to ensure that funds to relieve congestion on Highway 101 would not only be protected, but doubled.

Boxer, a Senate Conferee on the Transportation Conference Committee, said “I am proud to have worked on a bill that will improve transportation both in the North Bay and across the state of California.  These projects will create North Bay jobs, improve air quality, relieve congestion and provide alternatives to driving by adding CNG busses and bike paths."

“The expansion of the Novato Narrows has been a top Highway 101 priority for both Marin and Sonoma Counties,” said Rep. Woolsey.  “The traffic congestion that will be eased by the Highway 101 project will benefit the North Bay economy, the environment and it will make life easier for the people of Marin and Sonoma who rely on this traffic corridor everyday.”

Woolsey continued, “But, we also know that efforts to reduce congestion in the North Bay can’t be limited to road expansion.  To improve air quality and quality of life, we must reduce the number of cars on the road by supporting a regional multi-modal transportation solution that includes bus, bike, pedestrian, train and ferry.”

Because rail is another key element in a comprehensive approach to relieve congestion on Highway 101, Woolsey and Boxer worked together to ensure that SMART rail is eligible to receive $5 million in “New Starts” funding for planning, engineering and eventually construction.  The Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) project, a 75-mile commuter rail corridor serving North Bay residents that runs parallel to Highway 101, will help reduce traffic on Highway 101 by carrying a projected 5,000 riders per day.

Rep. Woolsey worked closely with Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Jim Oberstar (D-MN), Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senator Boxer to reiterate the importance of the Golden Gate Bridge as a major traffic corridor and valued national landmark.  To ensure that the Golden Gate Bridge received special consideration separate from personal Members’ allotments, $50 million was set aside in bridge discretionary funds for the seismic retrofit of the Golden Gate Bridge.