A kick off ceremony for a highway improvement project that will add 4.5 miles of auxiliary lanes to Highway 101. The lanes, which relieve freeway congestion, will be added from Millbrae Avenue in Millbrae to Third Avenue in San Mateo.

WHEN:

10 a.m., Tuesday, March 27

WHERE:

380 Lang Road, Burlingame, in front of Allen Drywall & Associates.

WHY:

During commute hours, auxiliary lanes equipped with metering lights allow drivers to enter and exit the freeway without slowing down traffic. Mid-day, when the metering lights are turned off, local drivers can use the freeway for short trips to neighboring communities without having to merge into fast-moving traffic.

The Highway 101 auxiliary lane project was identified in the original Measure A initiative. Plans call for the lanes to extend from county line to county line, a total length of 26 miles.

The $150 million project is jointly funded by the Transportation Authority, which is contributing $80 million, and Caltrans, which is contributing $70 million.

WHO:

Speakers will include:

• Rosanne Foust, chair
  San Mateo County Transportation Authority
  
• Rosalie O’Mahony, vice chair
  San Mateo County Transportation Authority
  
• John Lee, member
  San Mateo County Transportation Authority
  
• Bijan Sartipi, District 4 Director
  Caltrans