History of Efforts for Public Access
On the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

• 1975: There is a proposal for a "demonstration" bike lane on the 4.5-mile span reported the Marin Independent Journal (May 15, 1975); however the drought dictates that the third lane be used for a water pipeline to Marin County. Lanes were re-striped as 12' shoulders following removal of pipeline.
• 1997: BCDC granted Caltrans permit #1-97 to allow RSR seismic retrofit project, and asks Caltrans to do a study about the safety of bicycle access on the RSR Bridge.
• 1998: The Caltrans' Richmond-San Rafael Public Access Feasibility Study is released and supports the conversion of the existing 12 foot shoulder on the upper deck to offer bicycle access. Caltrans does not agree with the findings of the study.
• 2000: BCDC promises a hearing to revisit the issue of bicycle access following the completion of a statewide Freeway Shoulder Bicycle Access study which was developed to further determine safety issues.
• 2001: The Statewide Safety Study of Bicycles and Pedestrians on Freeways, Expressways, Toll Bridges, and Tunnels (Mineta Transportation Institute, SJSU) is released and finds that the existing RSR "railing appears to be adequate to protect bicycles from leaving the bridge" and that the existing 12' shoulder "is more than sufficient for bicycle travel." Caltrans, however, also found this study to be inconclusive.
• 2002: BCDC holds a hearing about the public access on the bridge and the Mineta Study and asks MTC to fund a Project Study Report for the public access project.
• 2004: MTC begins meetings with a Technical Advisory Committee for the third study on the RSR Bridge, which is to result in a Project Study Report which can result in funding and programming the project. Caltrans is a stakeholder at these meetings.
• 2005: Modeling is done to determine when Caltrans will need the third lane for cars. MTC and Caltrans disagree on projections, but finally Caltrans wins stating that they need the 3rd lane immediately for westbound traffic. Two conditions for the public access project are agreed-upon by MTC and Caltrans: 1) a preferred alternative should allow for peak hour automobile traffic to use all three lanes for cars, and 2) a solid barrier should separate the pathway from automobiles.
• 2006: The Technical Advisory Committee learns that Caltrans is developing a totally new Project Study Report to open all three lanes for cars, and this study is not being coordinated with the Public Access study.
• 2007: Caltrans and MTC agree to bring the two Project Study Reports into one document. Caltrans participates in all Technical Advisory Committee meetings. After 3.5 years of meetings, the TAC agrees on alternative 1B2 as a preferred alternative for the project. This alternative would provide a moveable barrier on the upper deck of the bridge to allow for bicycle and pedestrian use from 9 AM to 6 AM (21 hours daily) on weekdays, and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays.
• February 2008: Caltrans announces at the BATA meeting that they are rejecting the preferred alternative due to safety concerns. This announcement comes after 10 years and three studies. In addition, their safety data is not backed by facts that show that safety on the bridge improved from 2003-2005 during the seismic retrofit project.
• April 2008: BCDC endorses an alternative like 1B2 and asks Caltrans to come back to the Commission in 180 days with more information about their safety concerns. They also invite other stakeholders to provide additional data.

Read the April 2008 update for the latest information on the campaign for public access on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

 

Last updated April 2008