San Rafael, CA – The draft supplemental environmental assessment of a project to improve 12 miles of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in West Marin is now available for public review online. The new document expands and revises the initial study that was conducted in 2015.
A surveying crew works at a deteriorated section of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in West Marin. The 30-day public review and comment period for the study is from June 19 to July 18. Printed copies are available at the Point Reyes Public Library and the Civic Center Library in San Rafael.
The proposed improvements primarily consist of resurfacing, restoring, and rehabilitating Sir Francis Drake Boulevard between Pierce Point Road near Inverness and Chimney Rock Road near Point Reyes Headlands. Depending on the location, the work would include widening the roadway by one to six feet to maintain a consistent 24-foot width with two 11-foot travel lanes and one-foot shoulders. The purpose is to restore the structural integrity of the roadway, which is used by approximately 1,300 vehicles daily, thereby enhancing safety for all users. The range of improvements would result in a reduction of future maintenance requirements. Additional aspects are also evaluated in the document, such as replacing existing culverts at Schooner Creek with a single-span bridge.
The improvement project is a collaborative effort between Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Parks Service (NPS), and the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW). FHWA and DPW are managing the project, which is located on NPS land. A Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) grant for the project was pursued by DPW and was awarded in 2013. The $17.7 million FLAP grant, which is allocated by FHWA, will cover 88.53 percent of the estimated $19.9 million project. The remaining 11.47 percent, approximately $2.2 million, will come from the County’s Road and Bridge Rehabilitation fund.
Following the public comment period, a final environmental analysis will be produced that addresses any public input. Pending approval of the complete document, the permitting process would begin. Construction is projected to start in spring 2019 with a target completion date of fall 2020.