Several utility projects are underway in the unincorporated Strawberry area of southern Marin County, with most of the construction work taking place at night to minimize inconveniences for travelers.
The County of Marin and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) arecoordinating the projects adjacent to – and underneath – Highway 101. Starting January 12, the work started on Redwood Highway Frontage Road (between Seminary Drive and Belvedere Drive), as well as at the Belvedere Drive / Redwood Highway intersection, Redwood Highway Frontage Road at the Seminary Drive exit from Highway 101, and beneath the highway.
“We’re partnering on these projects to overlap them and reduce the overall duration and impacts of the work while also eliminating redundant pavement surface restoration,” said Senior Civil Engineer Rachel Calvert of the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW).
The County’s part of the project is funded through the California Public Utilities Commission’s Rule 20A program and will result in the undergrounding of utility lines along Redwood Highway to improve long-term service reliability and roadway appearance. The County’s Rule 20A contractor started work January 12 on the installation of underground electrical conduits, vaults, and related infrastructure. That County-overseen work is expected to be completed in early March.
PG&E’s project started with limited daytime activity and minor impacts in the project area. Beginning January 19, PG&E’s contractor will transition to nighttime operations and bore under the highway at the Belvedere Drive / Redwood Highway intersection. Crews will install new conduits connecting the east and west sides of the corridor without open trenching across the highway. They also will install an electrical line connecting to the County’s Rule 20A system and a new line for PG&E’s existing natural gas delivery system.
Night work in the area is expected to take four to five weeks. Crews plan to work from 9 PM to 5 AM Sundays through Thursdays. Nighttime travelers should expect intermittent lane closures on Highway 101 and near the Belvedere Drive / Redwood Highway intersection. Traffic control measures will be in place to support safe travel through the area.
Project updates will be available through the DPW website and social media feeds and PG&E information channels.
After the undergrounding work, PG&E, AT&T, and Comcast will install new utility lines in new below-ground conduits and will then remove the overhead utility wires and poles along the frontage road. Those tasks are tentatively scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.
Subsequent roadway improvements on Redwood Highway Frontage Road between Seminary Drive and Tiburon Boulevard, including shoulder widening, repaving, and pedestrian enhancements, are in the design phase and will be delivered as a separate County construction project once the roadway shoulder has been cleared of overhead utilities
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