Resiliency Improvements Continue for Bolinas Road

For Immediate Release –

Marin County, CA –

Upcoming two-day traffic delay as projects resume along roadway after storms

With winter weather looming, the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) continues to make improvements on a 6.5 mile stretch of Bolinas Road, located between the Town of Fairfax and unincorporated community of Bolinas. The overall effort entails a series of projects with a total estimated cost of $30 million to repair damage and improve resiliency along the roadway.

Bolinas Road is the emergency evacuation route for hundreds of homes and provides critical access for wildland firefighting efforts. The road also serves as the primary access to maintain a large water treatment facility that provides over one-third of Marin Water’s drinking water supply.

One of the Bolinas Road projects in construction is located just outside of Fairfax, at milepost 1.0. Storms in March 2023 triggered a landslide, which was subsequently stabilized. However, the damage was significantly compounded by the February 2024 state-declared disaster-level storms, prompting the urgent need for a $1.9 million repair project. The work entails building a 100-foot-long retaining wall, as well as reinforcing the existing adjacent 100-foot-long retaining wall with new anchors. The project is expected to be completed in January 2025, weather permitting.

On Thursday, December 5, and Friday, December 6, traffic delays are anticipated to increase beyond the previous 3-minute wait time at milepost 1.0 to accommodate final grading and paving work. This week’s traffic wait times are anticipated to be between 5 and 15 minutes on Thursday, and between 5 and 20 minutes on Friday, occurring both days from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. These temporary increases in traffic control will allow for specialized equipment and trucks to maneuver in and out of the lane closure.

Another project is the retaining wall and road repair work at milepost 5.73, which is currently on track for completion by the end of January 2025. The winter/spring 2024 storms caused damage that resulted in closure of the road at the location. The $1.7 million project began in May 2024 and, to accommodate the construction since August, the project zone has been fully closed on weekdays from Azalea Hill to Ridgecrest and has operated via single-lane access on weekends.

It should be noted that active emergency vehicles always have access through both construction sites. If residents experience emergencies, they should call 911.

For all current and planned project locations along Bolinas Road, DPW takes precautions whenever a significant storm is forecasted by the National Weather Service. Staff inspect each location to determine if there are any change in conditions that might prompt extra measures. In some cases, DPW staff deploy plastic tarps, sandbags and other measures to protect the vulnerable areas; this is commonly referred to as “winterizing.”

Ahead of a significant storm, DPW may preemptively close lanes or sections of the road as a public safety precaution. Following a storm, staff inspect the roadway for any issues and clear away storm debris before deeming it safe to reopen to the public. An example of this was the November 20-23 atmospheric river storm system that hit Marin County, in which Bolinas Road was preemptively closed from Meadow Club to Highway 1. The roadway was reopened on November 27 after it had been assessed and cleared by DPW crews.

The public can find County-maintained road or lane closure information via DPW’s roadway restrictions webpage, as well as on DPW’s X and Facebook profiles. Details about pre-storm preparations and public resources can also be found on DPW’s website. Additionally, prior to a storm, residents can call DPW at 415-473-6530 during normal business hours for information and guidance. Residents of unincorporated areas of Marin can also contact DPW during a storm to be routed to the respective County of Marin department that can address their concerns.

During a storm, residents should utilize the Marin County Emergency Portal for assistance, resources and information. Other routine service requests related to conditions of County-maintained roads can be reported online via DPW’s Report an Issue portal. However, when there is an imminent threat to life or property, please call 911.