Why Sierra Club opposes Highway 37 toll

On Wednesday, the California Transportation Commission voted unanimously to authorize the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to begin tolling the Highway 37 North Bay corridor to pay for a proposed widening project on a traffic-prone section of the highway.

The Sierra Club is opposed to this move.

The Sierra Club is opposed to the California Transportation Commission's proposal for a Highway 37 toll to support the building of a temporary four-lane highway between Mare Island in Vallejo and Sears Point in Sonoma County.

First, it will interfere with water flows to the surrounding wetlands that provide refuge for wildlife nor will it provide adequate protection against sea level rise. It will not even address state mandates of reduction of vehicle miles traveled.

Second, the project is an economic injustice. Neither Sonoma nor Marin counties have built adequate affordable housing in the past several decades, forcing low-income and middle-income workers to seek housing in more affordable areas. Regionally, Vallejo has provided many of those housing opportunities. In order to then get to work, many of those people must drive to Sonoma and Marin counties. This not only includes folks at the bottom of the economic ladder but also middle-income workers, including folks who work for Lucas Films and other higher-end employers. Interestingly, the only speaker in support of this project at a recent public meeting was from a Marin County employer group.

This project will not only hurt Solano County residents, but will also be a burden to Napa County residents and employers.

The Sierra Club requests that residents of Solano County let the California Transportation Commission know of our opposition to this poorly conceived project. Working people should not be taxed to get to their jobs. — Joseph Feller, Sierra Club