A major thoroughfare connecting three North Bay counties will close down next weekend ahead of potential flooding from an incoming winter storm, according to the California Department of Transportation.
Highway 37 between Vallejo and Sears Point will fully close for 55 hours from 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, while crews raise portions of the roadway, Caltrans said.
Two partial closures will also take place next Wednesday and Thursday from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Caltrans has advised drivers to use state Route 29 and state Route 121 as alternatives across the North Bay.
Highway 37 between Vallejo and Sears Point serves around 40,000 commuters every day. But the narrow, 10-mile stretch of highway targeted for upgrades sits level with the Bay and frequently floods, leading to delays and sometimes dangerous driving conditions.
In August, the state awarded $100 million to Caltrans for climate-ready upgrades for Highway 37 to protect drivers from floods and to cut down on traffic.
In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency ahead of a record-breaking El Niño season, directing agencies to get a head start on protecting roadways and other vulnerable infrastructure.
El Niño is a periodic climate pattern involving warming ocean waters, which can contribute to heavy rains, flooding, landslides and possible power outages.