NORTH-SOUTH GREENWAY UPDATE
By Deb Hubsmith, MCBC Advocacy Director
Summer 2006
On several occasions recently, traffic on Highway 101 has backed up for hours, with no way for people to move their cars or to escape the freeway. Fortunately, milestones towards building the North-South Greenway, an auto-free alternative to Highway 101 along the railroad right-of-way, provide a hope and a plan for the future.
The idea for the North-South Greenway first surfaced in the 1970s with the adoption of Marin County's 1974 Bikeway Policy. In the 1980s, Marin County Supervisors and local government officials had the foresight to preserve vast tracts of the railroad right-of-way for "future transportation purposes" through grants from the federal government. In 1994, the Marin County North-South Bikeway Feasibility Study resurrected the idea of a pathway along the railroad grade, and detailed short-term and long-term alignment plans.
In 1998, when the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) was founded, the Board made the long awaited North-South Greenway a top infrastructure priority for our organization. MCBC continues to work diligently with the non-profit Transportation Alternatives for Marin to paint a vision of a pathway that will become a "linear park" as well as a non-motorized transportation corridor parallel to Highway 101. Largely separated from automobiles, the Greenway will connect with transit centers, downtown areas, places of employment, schools and residences, providing a viable alternative to the automobile along a relatively flat surface.
The MCBC is making this dream a reality by working actively with the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), the County of Marin, local cities and towns, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, state and federal officials, and other public, non-profit and private partners. We navigate through planning studies, environmental impact reports, engineering concerns, timelines, deadlines, public meetings, stakeholder meetings, funding shortages, legislation, and a maze of multi-jurisdictional entities that govern the future of this right-of-way. Here's an update on the Greenway’s progress, traveling from north to south.
1 - SMART Rail with Trail from Sonoma County to San Rafael
Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) has been working since 1999 to plan, engineer and build passenger rail service along the former NWP right-of-way (ROW) for 71 miles from Larkspur Landing to Cloverdale. The MCBC has been working with SMART since its inception to ensure that a multi-use pathway parallel to the rail line would be included as part of SMART's plans. In the summer of 2006, the SMART District is expected to certify their final Environmental Impact Report for the rail service and for phase I of the multi-use pathway (70% of which will be on the ROW, and 30% on city streets).
SMART is has placed a 1/4 cent sales tax to fund the project on the ballot (Measure R) for November 2006. Discussions at the June 2006 SMART Board meeting indicated that Phase I of the pathway will cost $80 million, and that the ballot measure will include $46 million to build priority sections of that path from Larkspur to Cloverdale. The SMART sales tax will also include funds to maintain the pathway. If the ballot measure is approved by voters, SMART officials state that the train and pathway could be up and running within three to four years.
2 - Lincoln Hill Segment
Anyone who has traveled by bike on Lincoln Avenue knows how difficult it is to commute between Terra Linda and downtown San Rafael. Fortunately, help is on the way, as the Measure A transportation sales tax, managed by TAM and passed by voters in November 2004, will provide funding for this critical link. Over the past year, MCBC has worked diligently with TAM, SMART and Caltrans on the design of the pathway segment, which will include an underpass at the top of Lincoln Hill and a breakaway pathway at Linden Lane (to access the Dominican neighborhood). TAM reports that the final phase of the Highway HOV Gap Closure Project and the Lincoln Hill pathway segment will go to construction during 2007, with an expected project completion date in the fall of 2008. Kudos to San Rafael Mayor Al Boro, Supervisor Susan Adams, and TAM executive director Dianne Steinhauser and her consulting team for keeping this project moving on a tight timeline.
3 - Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation
Community leaders have been working for more than 30 years to provide a non-motorized connection between San Rafael and Larkspur Landing Circle in the vicinity of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. Today, more than $17 million in funding has been secured for the project, which will create a pathway on the east side of the tunnel and accommodations for future rail on the west side.
The Initial Project Study Report (IPR) indicates that the tunnel should break ground for construction in 2007, with an expected opening date in the fall of 2008. During the fall of 2007 a series of public meetings will be held with the County, SMART, Larkspur and San Rafael to adopt a memorandum of understanding regarding hours of operation, maintenance needs, and emergency-response issues. The MCBC is advocating for 24-hour access to the tunnel, which will be an important transportation link. Our thanks go out to everyone for keeping this complicated project on schedule, especially project manager Bill Whitney and TAM Chairman Supervisor Steve Kinsey.
4 - Central Marin Ferry Connection Project
South of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, the Central Marin Ferry Connection Project (CMFCP) will provide a much-needed crossing of East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Corte Madera Creek. The CMFCP plan (completed in 2004 by the City of Larkspur) calls for a new fixed bridge to be constructed with an off-ramp that would provide access to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal via the north side of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Once across Corte Madera Creek, the pathway would continue south along the ROW to the intersection of Redwood Highway and Wornum Drive, to link up with the existing path.
The CMFCP has now been turned over to TAM and will be studied again as part of the comprehensive Greenbrae Corridor Improvement Plan (GCIP), a major project which will likely result in a new highway interchange. Public meetings on the GCIP will begin soon, and MCBC will be urging the public to get involved. It is our hope that the CMFCP can be segmented out of the larger highway project so that an environmental impact report can be completed for the pathway, and funds programmed for completion. Funding for the CMFCP has already been designated from Regional Measure 2 (bridge tolls), and from highway mitigation funds. The MCBC also considers the CMFCP as a top candidate for funding from the $25 million federal Pilot Program monies, as the project will connect with the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, solve safety problems, and provide access to transit, shopping and residences. The next year will include a lot of advocacy for the CMFCP, so look for our public meeting announcements and speak out!
5 - Sandra Marker Trail
Bicyclists and pedestrians have a smooth ride along the North-South Greenway on the Sandra Marker Trail, which was paved during 2003 and 2004 and boasts a stunning view of Mount Tamalpais. After the Pilot Program award was announced in August 2005, a press conference was held on this pathway, providing a glimpse of what could be possible for the entire North-South Greenway corridor. The Sandra Marker Trail provides access to several nearby schools, including Redwood High School and Neil Cummins Elementary School.
6 - Alto Tunnel Rehabilitation
The County of Marin continues to seek funding for a rehabilitation study of Alto Tunnel; the study would include an assessment of the condition of the tunnel, a cost estimate, and community outreach. The Town of Corte Madera and the City of Mill Valley have both passed resolutions in support of this study on the former train tunnel, which is 2100 feet in length. Supervisor Charles McGlashan has led the charge to get the Alto Tunnel study back on the table as a priority for the County of Marin. MCBC is advocating for this study to be funded as part of the Pilot Program, as the state has very little funding for planning grants, and the County’s applications have already been turned down on five occasions over the past six years. It’s a high priority to get this study rolling.
7 - Mill Valley Pathway and Gate 6 Road
Supervisor McGlashan has been working with the County's Parks and Open Space District staff to repair specific areas of the Mill Valley-Sausalito multiuse path that are most susceptible to flooding. He also secured funds to improve the intersection of the Mill Valley pathway with Gate 6 Road and Bridgeway, and this construction will take place soon. MCBC continues to provide input for project design elements.
8 - Sausalito Bridgeway Bike Lanes and Pathway Construction
The bike lanes on Bridgeway opened to the public in the fall of 2003. MCBC and Transportation Alternatives for Marin are now working with the City of Sausalito to pursue a planning grant to develop a study, an alignment, and the design for the North-South Greenway multi-use pathway to traverse the ROW from Gate 6 Road to the Sausalito Ferry Terminal.
9 - Vista Point and the Golden Gate Bridge
Vista Point (on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge) was recently reconstructed with bike racks, bicycle warning signs, speed tables, and safer pathways. The Golden Gate Bridge now includes a safety railing separating the sidewalk from the roadway.
Conclusion
When completed, the North-South Greenway will provide an environmentally sound transportation route that will be a model for the nation. Imagine how many people will chose to walk or bike to work, to the store, and to school when they are presented with a viable alternative.
The MCBC is working to maximize every opportunity to work with our government partners to build the North-South Greenway as quickly as possible. We have come a long way, but there will be many more meetings, studies, and reports to be created before this vision will be fully realized. Together, we have the opportunity to offer Marin County a transportation facility that will improve the environment, health, and livability of our community, while being a model for the nation.
If you are interested in helping with this long-term project, please contact Deb Hubsmith, MCBC Advocacy Director, at (415) 454-7430 or deb@marinbike.org.
