North-South Greenway Update
Summer 2008
By Deb Hubsmith, MCBC Advocacy Director
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The dream of bicycling for 25 miles from Novato to Sausalito on a mostly-flat, beautiful and direct pathway, separated from cars, is getting closer each year. And with gas prices at more than $4 per gallon, it appears that we’re finally reaching the “tipping point” in terms of an understanding that the construction of the North-South Greenway is necessary for health, mobility, environmental and equity reasons.
Ten years ago in 1998, when the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) was founded, our Board of Directors proclaimed the long-awaited North-South Greenway as a top infrastructure priority for our organization. MCBC continues to work diligently with the non-profit Transportation Alternatives for Marin to hold the vision of a pathway that will become a “linear park” and a national model for non-motorized transportation, with access to transit, cities, shopping, schools, parks, and major employment centers.
To accomplish this project, MCBC is working 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, nonprofit 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.
Currently, there is planning or construction on all segments of this sought-after corridor providing an important alternative to Highway 101, and helping to serve emergency access needs. Here’s an update on the Greenway’s progress, traveling from north to south, segment by segment.
1 SMART Rail with Trail
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 for 71 miles from Larkspur Landing to Cloverdale. The MCBC has been collaborating 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.
SMART plans to place a quarter-cent sales tax to fund the train and pathway project on the ballot in November 2008. MCBC endorses SMART, which is expected to provide full funding for the $91 million pathway. If the ballot measure is approved by voters, SMART officials state that the train and pathway would be up and running five years after the vote.
2 Lincoln Hill Segment
This $10 million pathway project, funded by Measure A, is
under construction now and is scheduled to be open for use
by the end of 2008! It will connect downtown San Rafael
with Terra Linda and include a break-away path to Linden
Lane for community access, as well as a mini-tunnel at the
top of the hill to allow riders and pedestrians to avoid the
dangerous on-ramps and off-ramps on Lincoln Avenue. New
bike lanes being constructed on Los Ranchitos Road will
connect with the pathway and are being funded by the Pilot
Program. The project also entails moving the railroad tracks
to preserve the ability for SMART to run passenger rail.
3 Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation
In the year 2001, MCBC stopped a “temporary” parking lot from being constructed at the southern portal of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. We argued that more people would get to the ferry car-free if the tunnel were open to bicycle and pedestrian use. We succeeded in stopping the parking lot project, and today, $25 million in funding has been secured for the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, which will create a pathway on the east side of the tunnel and accommodations for future rail on the west side. SMART and the County of Marin are splitting the costs for the project, and the tunnel will be owned by SMART.
In May 2008, the Marin County Board of Supervisors authorized for the Cal Park Hill Tunnel to go out to bid. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2008, with a grand opening date approximately fifteen months after construction starts. The tunnel is to be open from 5 AM until 11 PM, and the hours of operation will be reviewed after the first year of service. This important link will connect the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and the downtown San Rafael Transit Center, making what was a 20-minute bike ride into a 5-minute trip. Our thanks go out to everyone for keeping this complicated project moving toward construction, especially TAM Chairman Supervisor Steve Kinsey and SMART Chairman Charles McGlashan.
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 to provide access to the
north side of Drake. Once across Corte Madera Creek, the
pathway would continue south along the right-of-way to
the intersection of Redwood Highway and Wornum Drive,
linking up with the existing multiuse path.
Approximately $9 million in construction funding for the CMFCP has already been designated from Regional Measure 2 (bridge tolls), and from highway mitigation funds. In addition, the Board of Supervisors allocated $2 million from the Pilot Program for study and design. The project will be segmented, with a Phase A crossing of East Sir Francis Drake to connect the Cal Park Hill Tunnel with the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. MCBC hopes that Phase A will open within eighteen months of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. Stay tuned for public meetings about this project.
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
In the summer of 2008, the County of Marin will be soliciting proposals for a Mill Valley - Corte Madera Gap Closure study that will assess the feasibility and costs for three possible routes: Alto Tunnel, Horse Hill, and Camino Alto. MCBC is advocating for the scope of work for the study to include an engineering analysis of Alto Tunnel, cost estimates for improvements to all routes, and numeric projections for use. We’re also asking policy makers to consider the important value that Alto Tunnel would serve in the event of needed evacuation due to a fire or other emergency. The MCBC has been working on the Alto Tunnel project for nearly ten years, and we are very pleased to see this new study moving forward. We express our thanks to Supervisor Charles McGlashan, who has led the charge to get the Alto Tunnel study back on the table as a priority for the County of Marin.
7 Mill Valley Pathway and Gate 6 Road
Pilot Program funds will be used to improve the intersection of the Mill Valley pathway with Gate 6 Road and Bridgeway in Sausalito, and to construct the Tennessee Valley Pathway that will connect to the Greenway. These projects will improve safety and accessibility of this busy corridor in Southern Marin.
8 Sausalito Bridgeway Bike Lanes and Pathway Construction
The popular bike lanes on Bridgeway opened to the
public in the fall of 2003. Thanks to Pilot Program
funds, planning grant funds will allow for a study
to determine an alignment for the North-South
Greenway multiuse pathway along the railroad
right-of-way from Gate 6 Road to the Sausalito
Ferry Terminal. In a recent poll, a whopping 80% of
Sausalito residents indicated a waterfront pathway
as a top priority for their city. In addition, Pilot
Program funds are paying for a connection from
Bridgeway to the 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. Since 2003, the Golden Gate Bridge has also included 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 for alternative transportation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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 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 setting a new national standard.
If you are interested in helping with this longterm project, please contact Deb Hubsmith, MCBC Advocacy Director, at 415-454-7430 or deb@marinbike.org.
