IT SHOULD COME as no surprise that Highway 37 is a sitting duck
for rising tide levels brought on by global warming. The busy
highway stretches across tidal areas. In some places, waters lap
on both sides of the road which is only 1 or 2 feet above sea
level in some places. State officials are becoming more
concerned about someday losing the 22-mile long stretch that
handles an average of 70,000 vehicles every day. Much of that
traffic depends on Highway 37 as a connector between Highways
101 and 80. It probably is appropriate for state officials to
start exploring the viability of replacing the marshland stretch
of the highway with an elevated causeway. There may not be the
money available today for such a costly project, but pre-
planning could help make sure it is ready when state and federal
funds flow to such projects. There's even been talk of making it
a toll road. Its watery borders were part of the debate over
whether to install a lifesaving median barrier. Caltrans long
held that the best solution wa