Road Rehab Plans Rolling on Mount Tam

SAN RAFAEL, CA – Marin County Department of Public Works engineers are working with several federal agencies on the much-needed rehabilitation project for Muir Woods Road near Mount Tamalpais. Improvements to the 2.4-mile section of road would allow for safer access to state and federal lands, including Muir Woods National Monument, as well as Muir Beach.

A public meeting about the project is set for 6 p.m. November 9 at the Mill Valley Community Center.

Before moving forward with detailed design for the project, the agencies are initiating an environmental assessment to evaluate the potential impacts on the surrounding ecosystem. Beyond restoring access to the state and federal lands, the proposed action would enhance safety for all users, correct drainage problems, and reduce water quality impacts to Redwood Creek. Several old landslides would be repaired in addition to more recent damage from December 2014 storms and flooding. In some areas, erosion and poor drainage have narrowed the road to only one lane.

Pending completion of the environmental assessment, the construction would start in 2019.

Marin County has been approved for more than $5.2 million in grant funds for the project through the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP). The project was one of just 14 that FLAP selected from a pool of 56 applications. The cost of the Muir Woods Road project is estimated to be $5.9 million, of which the FLAP grant covers 88.53 percent. The reimbursable agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the County of Marin will commit matching funds for the remaining 11.47 percent, a sum of $680,000.

“This is exciting news as improvements to this corridor have been needed for many years,” said County Principal Civil Engineer Ernest Klock. “It is significant because this is the second grant cycle since the inception of the program and we were successful for $18 million in improvements to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in the first cycle.”

The November 9 meeting will be conducted in an open-house format that allows attendees to converse one-on-one with project staff. An informational presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. The community center is at 180 Camino Alto in Mill Valley. Community input is crucial in guiding the project and the Public Works team welcomes all comments before December 9.

The National Park Service, which oversees the national monument, sent a letter to federal authorities with strong support for the improvements. Muir Woods has approximately 1 million visitors each year, and Muir Woods Road also serves as a primary access road to the monument. It’s also a critical public transportation route for the Muir Woods Shuttle, considered a public transportation lifeline in West Marin. In addition, the roadway enhancements will improve access to neighboring state parks lands.

Learn more about roads under DPW’s jurisdiction on the County website.

– Information and photo submitted by County of Marin.