Tolling May Finance Repair of Bay Area Highway Threatened by Sea Level Rise

Credit: Wikipedia: San Pablo Bay, shown with San Francisco Bay

A January Press-Democrat editorial warned that the flooding of the roadway "could be a glimpse of what climate change and rising sea levels have in store for the North Bay." 

Moore reports on a meeting [pdf] held May 4 by the policy committee

"A consultant hired by the policy group to address options for Highway 37 improvements — ranging from building a seawall to an elevated causeway — said paying for the work boils down to charging tolls or waiting for Caltrans to identify funding for the work," writes Moore. That could be as late as 2088, noted one committee member.

By contrast, such work could be completed in as little as eight years by charging tolls and by public agencies partnering with private companies [i.e., a public-private partnership] on construction, according to José Luis Moscovich, executive vice-president of Project Finance Advisory Limited, a San Francisco-based consultancy.

“What you have is the possibility of breaking loose from the normal constraints in terms of funding a transportation project in the state,” Moscovich said.

One tolling option would have the state relinquish the right-of-way to a private investment firm "which would fund the construction and charge a toll to recoup its cost." Moore writes about the skepticism expressed by some committee members on pursuing this route.

A report from the Sierra Club's Redwood Chapter indicates that tolls are likely, "with some of the money generated [used] to subsidize [commuter] van services." They express support for tolling and transit options in the corridor.