North-South Greenway Update
Summer 2011
By Andy Peri, Advocacy Director
Support the North-South Greenway. Click here to join MCBC! When MCBC formed 13 years ago, our primary goal was to create the North-South Greenway, a mostly car-free bicycle and pedestrian corridor 25 miles long, from Marin County's southern edge at the Golden Gate Bridge through Novato to the north. Over the past year, MCBC has seen the fruits of a decade+ of work come to bear with the opening of the Cal Park Tunnel and the Lincoln Hill Pathway, two major north-south connectors. The North-South Greenway still has some gaps, which MCBC continues to work on to close. Some of these projects are currently being planned or designed while others are under construction. 2010 was a year of great celebration, but the hard work continues.
SMART train and pathway
Lincoln Hill Pathway is open
Entrance to the
Cal Park Hill Tunnel
Sandra Marker Trail
Alto Tunnel
1 – SMART Train and Pathway
MCBC has worked with Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) since 1999 to help create the SMART train and pathway. The original SMART project followed the former NWP right-of-way (ROW) for 71 miles from Larkspur Landing (now the Marin Country Mart) to Cloverdale. In November 2008, Measure Q was approved by voters with nearly 70% approval. MCBC mobilized supporters to pass this Measure.
Because of recession-driven low sales tax revenue, SMART had to reduce its project to 37-
miles from downtown San Rafael to Railroad Square in Santa Rosa; now called the initial operating segment (IOS). Further deferments included a one-third cut of pathway funds. The IOS train and pathway segments are still expected to be completed and operational by end of 2014. MCBC has been working closely with SMART engineering staff to help determine the final alignment, pathway design, bicycle storage levels on trains, and station access and design (including station bicycle racks and storage).
As of late-June 2011, SMART is working to close its funding gap with help from Sonoma County, Marin County and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. When the gap is closed, bonding and the first phase of rail construction on the SMART rail line will occur. MCBC is working to ensure that pathway funds are used only for the pathway and not re-allocated to other parts of the project.
2 – Lincoln Hill Pathway
This $12 million pathway project, funded by Measure A and federal stimulus funds, was completed and opened for use in December 2010. This important segment of the North-South Greenway connects Terra Linda with downtown San Rafael. It includes a break-away path to Linden Lane for community access to the Lincoln Avenue and Dominican neighborhoods, and 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. This pathway connects to the Los Ranchitos bike lanes, which were completed last year and which provide access from North San Pedro Road to the top of the Lincoln Hill pathway.
3 – Cal Park Tunnel Rehabilitation
The Cal Park Tunnel opened officially on December 10, 2010, with much justified fanfare and excitement. Over 300 cyclists, pedestrians and elected officials celebrated before cutting the ribbon and entering the tunnel. In addition to the tunnel itself, the project includes just over one mile of pathway that connects to Anderson Avenue on the San Rafael side (near Office Depot) and the Marin Country Mart (formally Larkspur Landing) just adjacent to the movie theatre. This facility is state-of-the-art and the County of Marin has already won several awards for it. One day the tunnel will be shared with the SMART train, which will terminate at the Larkspur Landing station.
4 – Central Marin Ferry Connection Project
South of the Cal Park Tunnel, the Central Marin Ferry Connection Project (CMFCP) will provide a traffic-separated crossing of East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Corte Madera Creek, linking up with the existing path at Wornum Drive. Approximately $12 million for Phase 1 of the CMFCP multiuse pathway has been designated from Regional Measure 2 (bridge tolls), highway mitigation funds, and MTC's regional bike network funding. The Board of Supervisors allocated $2 million from the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) for environmental review and preliminary engineering, and we expect a final $3 million NTPP allocation for completing the Phase 1 construction funding needs.
The project will be segmented, with Phase 1 crossing East Sir Francis Drake Blvd. to connect the Cal Park Tunnel with the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, and Phase 2 crossing Corte Madera Creek. In September 2010, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) approved the final environmental impact report on Phase 1. Federal environmental clearance is currently being completed, allowing federal funds to be used for the project. The crossing over Sir Francis Drake Blvd. is estimated at $15 million, and is expected to be complete in 2014-2015. This project will provide a direct connection to the Cal Park Tunnel, southern Marin and the Larkspur Ferry Terminal.
5 – Sandra Marker Trail
The Sandra Marker Trail provides access to several nearby schools, including Redwood High School and Neil Cummins Elementary School. In December 2009 the City of Larkspur completed a new multiuse pathway that connects the Heather Gardens and Meadowood neighborhoods to Redwood High School, Hall Middle School, and Piper Park. This new ADA-compliant pathway replaces an informal dirt path between Doherty Drive and Heather Northwood Park that had been used for years primarily by local school children. Pathway funding was from Measure A Safe Routes to School funds, and the path features 54 newly planted trees. During spring 2011, the City of Larkspur completed new bike lanes on Magnolia Avenue that connect to the Sandra Marker Trail, creating a significantly safer route between Larkspur and Kentfield.
6 – Alto Tunnel Rehabilitation/Reopening
Now that the Cal Park Tunnel is open and being used, re-opening the Alto Tunnel seems more possible than ever. The Mill Valley to Corte Madera Gap Closure Study was finalized and accepted by the Marin County Board of Supervisors in September 2010. The study looked at three routes between Corte Madera and Mill Valley: Horse Hill, Camino Alto and the Alto Tunnel. This study, funded by the Pilot Program, assessed (amongst other things) the feasibility and costs for improvement on each of the three routes. Cost estimates for the Alto Tunnel had significantly large contingencies because no geotechnical study was completed during the Gap Closure Study. MCBC is urging the County to conduct further geotechnical and property studies on the tunnel as they are key to moving this project forward. These studies would help reduce contingency costs by creating more accurate cost estimates for rebuilding the tunnel, and would help resolve conflicts and questions regarding property boundaries and tunnel easement ownership.
7 – Mill Valley Pathway and Sausalito Bridgeway Bike Lanes and Pathway Construction
The County of Marin is currently processing paperwork to conduct repairs and upgrades for this traffic-separated path between Mill Valley and Sausalito. It is awaiting additional approved funding and is moving toward construction in 2013.
The popular bike lanes on Bridgeway opened to the public in fall 2003. Thanks to the Pilot Program, a study is now underway to determine an alignment for a multiuse path along the railroad right-of-way from Gate 6 Road to the Sausalito Ferry Terminal. Sausalito is also currently engaged in developing a roadway striping plan to further improve cyclists' riding through the city.
8 – Alexander Avenue
During the peak cycling season, estimates indicate that as many as 1500 cycling tourists on rental bikes cross the Golden Gate Bridge per day to explore Sausalito and the rest of Marin County. MCBC has been working with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Caltrans, Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District and City of Sausalito on a plan to improve cycling on Alexander Avenue, whose shoulders are only a few feet wide. A plan under consideration would make the shoulders five feet wide at the road's narrowest point. This would be accomplished by cutting into the hillsides adjacent to the roadway. Other improvements included in the plan would reconstruct the intersection at the tunnel to Fort Baker and make changes to a tunnel beneath Alexander Avenue.
MCBC has also been working to improve sightlines and calm traffic on a particularly difficult section of Alexander Avenue just as it enters Sausalito. Cyclists spending time in Sausalito are enjoying the 420 bicycle parking spaces that MCBC worked with the City of Sausalito to provide downtown.
LOOKING FORWARD
The opening of key portions of the North-South Greenway over the past year has made MCBC very excited about Marin's expanding, non-motorized transportation network. The greatest bike/ped challenges for Marin County tend to be short in distance and large in cost, as they are links through hills, across creeks and between existing narrow channels. As we move forward on reopening the Alto Tunnel and toward beginning construction on the SMART train and pathway and the Central Marin Ferry Connection Project, MCBC is closer than ever to completing the North-South Greenway. These projects take patience and time, and MCBC values our members' support that keeps us involved with the decision making processes to build a great bicycle network for all of you!