San Rafael, CA – In line with an ongoing effort to improve safety across County-maintained roadways, this summer the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) will resurface approximately one mile of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard with a special, high-friction material. The estimated $1.64 million project will improve safety along the section of the popular arterial road near Whites Hill, just west of Fairfax.
This portion of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is among those set to be repaved this summer.The project entails resurfacing the full width of the roadway and applying a high-friction surface treatment to the eastbound downhill lane and shoulder. The treatment is a relatively new technology that increases the friction of the roadway in wet weather conditions, thereby reducing the risk of tire slippage for vehicles and bicycles. The stretch of roadway will undergo additional safety improvements such as localized pavement repairs, structurally engineered paving mats, traffic striping, road widening, and new signage such as radar feedback signs.
Additionally, drainage improvements will be made on behalf of the Marin County Flood Control & Water Conservation District. The work will serve the future Sunnyside Flood Diversion and Storage Basin, a component of the San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction (SAFRR) project.
Construction is expected to begin in mid-July and work will be conducted weekdays during daytime hours. Lane closures will be necessary, but one lane will remain open to allow for controlled, alternating one-way traffic. The contractor, Team Ghilotti Inc. of Petaluma, will make all efforts to minimize public inconvenience and traffic delays. Weather permitting, the project should take three months to complete.
The safety improvement project is partially funded by the Highway Safety Improvement Program. The state grant covers $985,050 of the estimated project cost. The drainage improvements associated with the SAFRR project will be reimbursed by the District’s Flood Control Zone 9 budget.
Improving the condition and safety of roadways across unincorporated areas of Marin is an ongoing commitment for the County. In 2014, the Board of Supervisors initiated a $48 million, six-year plan called the Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Program. Under the initiative, DPW is working toward resurfacing 31 percent of its most-used roads before 2020.