Novato drivers, brace yourselves for a week of detours and late-night construction. Starting Jan. 8, the Atherton Avenue on-ramp to Southbound US-101 will be shut down for crucial upgrades as part of the Marin-Sonoma Narrows B-7 project. The nightly closures, announced by Caltrans District 4, will last from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., stretching until the morning of Saturday, Jan. 13.
The construction work necessary for the installment of new lights and a metering system will push locals to find alternative routes. In a release obtained by Caltrans District 4, commuters are advised to use the Redwood Boulevard detour, accessing Southbound US-101 via the De Long Avenue on-ramp. Fortunately, Atherton Avenue will remain open during daylight hours, but the nighttime closures are subject to the whims of the weather.
#TRAFFICALERT: The Marin-Sonoma Narrows B-7 construction project in @maringov will require the Atherton Avenue on-ramp to be closed on Southbound US-101 in Novato. The on-ramp will be closed Monday, Jan. 8 through Friday, Jan. 12 from
— Caltrans District 4 (@CaltransD4) January 5, 2024
10 p.m. to 5 a.m. pic.twitter.com/7Vi9rOyByo
This inconvenience is a small price for the grand vision of a seamless commute in the near future. The B-7 construction is the final stretch in the 16-mile US-101 Marin-Sonoma Narrows program, promising the completion of continuous High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. Starting from Sausalito in Marin County and paving its way up to Windsor in Sonoma County, the HOV lanes are set to be operational by the summer of 2025.
A representative from Caltrans, Matt O'Donnell, assures the public that all this effort will eventually pay off. “This is the last remaining High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane construction project as part of the 16-mile US-101 Marin-Sonoma Narrows program. This project will complete and allow continuous HOV lanes on US-101 from Sausalito in Marin County to Windsor in Sonoma County," O'Donnell mentioned.
