If you made it through last weekend’s Highway 37 shutdown, here’s the bad news: you’ll have to do it again.
Caltrans has scheduled another closure starting Friday, November 13, at 10 p.m., running through Sunday, November 15. It’s the second round of work aimed at keeping the North Bay’s most flood-prone highway open this winter, with forecasters warning about a strong El Niño season.
Why Caltrans Keeps Closing 37
Anyone who has driven Highway 37 during a big storm knows the problem. The road sits barely above San Pablo Bay, and when heavy rain hits, parts of it end up underwater.
So Caltrans is raising sections of the eastbound lanes by about three feet. To do that safely, crews first had to tear out the center median and install concrete K-rail barriers. That lets them push both directions of traffic onto the westbound side while they work.
Most of that setup happened during the 55-hour closure that ran from late Friday, October 23, until early Monday morning, October 26. The November closure continues the job.
Getting Around the Closure
There’s no easy way to say this: the detour is long. Caltrans puts it at roughly 40 miles, and it can easily take more than an hour. A Caltrans spokesperson noted that unlike other parts of the Bay Area, the North Bay doesn’t have backup routes, so losing 37 is felt right away.
If you’re heading west, take Highway 29 (Sonoma Boulevard) out of Vallejo toward Napa. Follow it to westbound Highway 12, the Carneros Highway, then take southbound Highway 121 back down to Highway 37 at Sears Point.
Heading east? Do the reverse. Take northbound 121, turn right onto the Carneros Highway, then right again onto Highways 12/29, which brings you back to 37 in Vallejo.
A Few Tips Before You Go
Check Caltrans QuickMap (quickmap.dot.ca.gov) before you leave. Like all road work, this closure depends on the weather, and times can shift.
If you can avoid the corridor that weekend, do it. If you can’t, leave early and expect heavy traffic on Highways 29, 12 and 121, since everyone else will be using the same detour.
It’s a hassle, no question. But if the work does what it’s supposed to, it could mean fewer flooded-out commutes once the winter storms roll in.
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