Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvements

Reducing Congestion and Increasing Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety

Completed and continuing improvements on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge are going a long way towards reducing traffic congestion and increasing safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Drivers have seen major improvements through the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge corridor, following work to convert the eastbound shoulder into a peak period use travel lane during the afternoon/evening rush hour.

Open-road tolling and other planned improvements will ease congestion on the westbound I-580 approach in Contra Costa County.

2024-2025 East Francisco Blvd. Project: Widening the Path & Increasing Safety

In 2024, the Shared-Use Gap Closure project along East Francisco Blvd. will widen approximately 2,000 feet of existing sidewalk to allow bi-directional bike and pedestrian travel to/from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and the flyover at the intersection of Grange Ave. in the City of San Rafael.

This project will also be realigning the East Francisco Blvd. roadway, will move an existing overhead utility line below ground and add additional signage and striping.

Construction Update: 1/9/2025

All driveway construction, paving, and sidewalk work on the new 10-foot-wide sidewalk of Francisco Boulevard East has been completed. Some minor concrete patch work will be required on the new sidewalk due to PG&E’s ongoing electrical work. PG&E is finalizing the relocation of existing overhead power lines to the new underground joint trench on Francisco Boulevard East between Grange Way and Main Street. This work will take place on Saturday night, January 11, 2025. Following PG&E, Comcast will begin relocating their overhead lines to the new underground joint trench in mid-January. AT&T is scheduled to complete their overhead line relocation in the same area in February and March of 2025.  Businesses remain open during construction, and vehicle traffic will be possible in and out of the driveways. Vehicle traffic through the work zones is restricted to 25 MPH and drivers are reminded to share the road with bicyclists.

East Francisco Blvd. Project Staff Contact

Nafis Majd
Email: nmajd@bayareametro.gov  

Completed Pilot Projects

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge users are already seeing the benefits of these projects completed by the Bay Area Toll Authority and partners:

• A third vehicle lane for peak use opened on the lower deck in 2018
• A six-mile bicycle/pedestrian path opened on the upper deck for public use in 2019, completing an important active transportation link in the Bay Trail between Marin and Contra Costa counties
• A project on the Sir Francis Drake offramp in 2020 added new striping, signage and safety improvements for cyclists

Pilot Study Report (Phase I)

Caltrans and UC Berkeley PATH have completed the Phase I After Study for the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvements Project. Read the Phase I report on the Caltrans website.

The Phase II Final Report is ongoing and is expected to be completed in Summer 2024.

Bicycle Safety on Sir Francis Drake

The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA)’s latest Richmond-San Rafael Bridge project added multiple improvements to the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard offramp, including:

• A moveable barrier to protect cyclists from vehicles
• Improved signage
• Pavement striping
• Pavement markers

The new bikeway offers improved bicycle trail linkage to transportation hubs and commute destinations in southern Marin County, such as Sonoma-Marin Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Larkspur Station, Central Marin Ferry (Larkspur) Terminal, and the adjacent towns and cities.