Bay Trail SFO Gap Study Final Plan Released

The vision for the San Francisco Bay Trail is a continuous, 500-mile trail around San Francisco and San Pablo Bays that passes through 47 cities and all nine Bay Area counties. 

With the release of the Bay Trail SFO Gap Study Final Plan, led by MTC and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Trail moves one step closer to closing the nearly four-mile gap around San Francisco International Airport (SFO), by identifying potential Bay Trail segments through Millbrae and San Bruno.

The study’s preferred pathway closely follows a plan alignment identified in 1998 that has been updated to increase community connectivity and reduce potential environmental impacts. Members of the public identified this as the top-ranked route during the public engagement phase last summer.

MTC-ABAG coordinated with partner agencies at key study milestones and provided a forum for critical discussions throughout the planning process. Partners included City of San Bruno, City of Millbrae, San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA), BART, Caltrain, California Department of Transportation, SFO Airport, Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, among others. The study also included broader community engagement with members of the public through in-person events, online surveys and social media engagement.

Based on more than 1,500 survey responses in the first engagement phase in Fall 2023, the public ranked safety as the most important factor, followed by comfortable usability by people of all ages and abilities; connectivity to walking, biking and transit routes; and a connection to nature and the bay. Respondents also expressed a desire to minimize negative impacts on the environment, including sensitive habitat on the property west of U.S.101. 

In the final engagement phase in Fall 2024, the public provided key input on future design elements by preferring fencing or screening from the roadway, restrooms, trees and landscaping and pedestrian-oriented lighting. The public also provided preferences for key accessibility features such as a smooth, level, wide-paved path; ADA curb ramps; accessible parking; and spaces to rest along the trail.

With the study’s completion, the SMCTA will be leading the next phase of the project, in coordination with the City of San Bruno and the City of Millbrae. SMCTA will seek grant funding to cover the preliminary engineering and environmental documentation phase, which is estimated to cost $4 million. The total cost of the project will be $64.5 million, which includes environmental documentation, engineering phases and construction.

While MTC oversees the Bay Trail and guides its progress toward completion, the cities and communities through which the Bay Trail runs are key to trail segments’ planning, implementation and maintenance. Local government agencies, parks districts, and private developers own, build and maintain the Bay Trail system.