WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lynn Woolsey, (D-Petaluma) today, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Treasury to request $35.3 million to improve transportation in the North Bay. For Marin County, Rep. Woolsey specifically requested funds to alleviate traffic on Highway 101 by improving the Marin Parklands Shuttle System, widening Novato Boulevard and continuing the seismic retrofit of the Golden Gate Bridge.

“I happen to believe that my district is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but I also recognize that we are not immune from the traffic and congestion that plague so many other areas,” said Rep. Woolsey in her testimony. “For my constituents, a typical day involves several trips on Highway 101, whether running an errand, taking a child to school, or commuting to work. Having a single north-south thoroughfare certainly creates a number of challenges, but also a unique opportunity: resources directed towards improving the condition of Highway 101 and its feeder services—either connecting roads or public transit options—will benefit each and every person who lives in or visits the area.”

Rep. Woolsey requested $5 million for the continued development of the Marin Parklands Shuttle System. As Rep. Woolsey stated in her testimony, “With more than two million visitors a year accessing this area via Highway 101, this project will improve visitor access to federal parklands in Marin County. Visitors will board shuttle buses to surrounding parklands from a remote parking facility next to Highway 101, which will reduce traffic volume along the route.”

Another trouble spot along Highway 101 is in the city of Novato. The City of Novato is committed to improve local transportation and I want to help them by requesting $1.45 million in matching funds “to widen the Boulevard and install curbs, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes.”

Also, Rep. Woolsey joins Reps Nancy Pelosi and Mike Thompson in requesting $25 million to continue the seismic retrofit work on the Golden Gate Bridge. “We have secured $33 million over the past 5 years for this major seismic retrofit project to protect the bridge from a potentially devastating earthquake,” said Rep. Woolsey, “and, we can’t forget that the Golden Gate Bridge continues to be a terrorist target, making reinforcement of its support structure more important than ever.”

Rep. Woolsey has secured over $100 million to improve transportation in California’s 6th District. These projects include improvements to Highway 101, increasing funds for public transportation, retrofitting the Golden Gate Bridge and securing funds for transportation projects that use renewable fuels. The testimony that Rep. Woolsey gave today in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Treasury is in addition to funds that will be requested in the Transportation Equity Act (TEA-21) reauthorization.