In addition, construction on a 4.5-mile section from Millbrae Avenue in Millbrae to Third Avenue in San Mateo is in the final design phase with construction scheduled to begin in late 2005.

Auxiliary lanes provide a merging area for traffic as it enters and exits the freeway, allowing the traffic to move more efficiently and reducing congestion and improving safety.

Caltrans recently signed off on the project study report to add the traffic-busting lanes between Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto and Marsh Road in Menlo Park. This clears the way for the TA to proceed with the environmental study, the next step in the project.

The Transportation Authority administers San Mateo County’s half-cent sales tax program for transportation under Measure A, which voters approved in 1988, a local source of funds that has enabled the county to attract state and federal dollars. Over the life of the measure, the county will attract more than $1 billion in outside funding.

Engineers will conduct environmental studies on four design alternatives. Initial cost estimates range from $57 million to $85.9 million, depending on final design decisions. Funding is expected to be split with 51 percent coming from the TA and 49 percent from the state.

To date, the TA has spent $72 million on auxiliary lanes. These funds have been leveraged to attract an additional $72 million in matching funds from the state.

The preliminary design calls for the highway to be widened to accommodate the auxiliary lanes. A railroad bridge that crosses the highway will be replaced with a longer structure to allow for the new lanes. The pedestrian overcrossing at Ringwood Avenue will be replaced with a new overcrossing that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The environmental impact of the project on the San Francisquito Creek also will be considered.

Drivers are already enjoying the benefits of 12 miles of auxiliary lanes from Belmont to Menlo Park, which were completed in September, and a three-mile segment from San Mateo to Belmont, which was finished in 2002. A section from San Mateo to Route 92 was completed in 1997.