Novato Multi-Impact Crash
Novato Highway Crash Knocks Out Power for Thousands, Sparks Fires, Snarls Traffic
Anonymous
Key Points
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Crash location and impact: the collision occurred on northbound U.S. 101 near the Highway 37 interchange in Novato, when a vehicle struck a power pole, bringing down lines across NB 101 and the 37 ramps and igniting three vegetation fires totaling about a quarter-acre.
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Injury details: initial reports described at least one person as seriously injured, but CHP later characterized the driver, an older adult woman in a white Jeep, as having minor injuries.
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Power outages and updates: PG&E initially reported more than 4,400 customers without power, with later updates indicating more than 6,000 affected in Marin County; by about 12:35 p.m., roughly 698 customers remained without power.
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Traffic control and closures: CHP issued a SigAlert at 9:46 a.m. noting all northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 101 were blocked; Novato police also reported traffic signals out in south Novato, advising drivers to treat dark signals as four-way stops.
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Lane reopenings and ramp status: all lanes on Highway 101 and Highway 37 were reopened by around noon, with some ramps temporarily closed (e.g., Rowland Boulevard and the Highway 37 eastbound off-ramp, plus Gateway Court ramps) and then fully reopened by 12:10 p.m. or shortly after.
A vehicle slammed into a power pole on northbound U.S. 101 near the Highway 37 interchange in Novato around 9 a.m. Wednesday, bringing down live power lines, sparking brush fires, and shutting down two major North Bay freeways. At peak, more than 6,000 customers lost electricity across Marin County and parts of Sonoma, according to SF Chronicle and Yahoo News.
By midday, all lanes on Highway 101 and Highway 37 had reopened. But the crash left behind hours of gridlock, downed lines, and smoldering brush — a chaotic morning for one of the Bay Area's busiest commuter corridors.
Vehicle Hits Power Pole, Fires and Chaos Follow
The driver, described as an older adult woman in a white Jeep, hit a utility pole on northbound 101, sending live power lines crashing across the freeway. The downed lines ignited three small vegetation fires totaling about a quarter-acre, according to SF Chronicle. PG&E crews had to de-energize the lines before firefighters could safely approach the flames.
CHP issued a SigAlert at 9:46 a.m. blocking all northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 101. Nearby ramps — including Rowland Boulevard, the Highway 37 eastbound off-ramp, and Gateway Court — were also shut down. South Novato Boulevard saw heavy spillover traffic as drivers scrambled for alternate routes, Rolling Out reported.
Injury Reports Shift From Serious to Minor
Early reports from the scene described at least one person as seriously injured. Yahoo News initially reported one person seriously hurt. But CHP later revised that assessment, characterizing the driver — the older adult woman behind the wheel of the Jeep — as having only minor injuries.
It remains unclear whether any other people were involved in the crash. No other victims were confirmed in later updates from authorities.
6,000 Customers Lose Power, Most Restored by Noon
PG&E first reported about 4,400 customers without power. That number climbed to more than 6,022 as the scope of the outage became clearer, affecting customers in Novato and parts of Sonoma, according to Yahoo News. Traffic signals across south Novato went dark, prompting Novato police to warn drivers to treat unlit signals as four-way stops.
By around 12:35 p.m., roughly 698 customers remained without power as PG&E crews worked to restore service. Most customers were back online by early afternoon, SF Chronicle reported, though some repairs continued into the day.
Highways Reopen by Noon, Traffic Lingers
All lanes on Highway 101 reopened by around noon. The final ramps — including the Highway 37 eastbound off-ramp and Gateway Court ramps — were fully cleared by about 12:10 p.m., according to Yahoo News. Highway 37 also reopened after a temporary full closure in both directions.
Residual backups stretched for miles as traffic slowly cleared. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of a key interchange where a single crash can ripple into a regionwide disruption — cutting power, closing freeways, and snarling commutes all at once, Rolling Out noted.
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