Richmond-San Rafael Bridge FAQs
Answers to common questions about projects on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
What are the hours of operations of the bridge bike and pedestrian path?
The path will be open Thursdays from 2 p.m. through Sundays at 11 p.m,, with the exception of some state holidays.
A free bike shuttle will be provided 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Mondays through Wednesdays) and 6 a.m. through 2 p.m. (Thursdays). See more details on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Path webpage.
The bridge path may also be temporarily closed under certain conditions, such as maintenance activities, high winds/inclement weather, injury or accident response.
Why did the project add a third lane only in the eastbound direction on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge?
Development in Contra Costa and Marin counties along with overall economic growth have resulted in significant traffic increases on eastbound Interstate 580 and the approaches to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, particularly during evening peak-commute periods. At these times, there are significant traffic delays along eastbound Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, with unacceptable level of service conditions occurring at the northbound ramps to U.S. Highway 101, at Larkspur Landing Circle (east and west), and at Andersen Drive. Additional evening traffic congestion occurs on northbound U.S. 101, from the Tamalpais Drive interchange to the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard off-ramp, and continuing onto eastbound I-580. To address present conditions and to accommodate the substantial growth projected to occur in this corridor, the eastbound, peak-period capacity of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge has been increased.
Why is the new eastbound lane only in use during peak commute hours?
Congestion on this stretch of Interstate 580 mainly occurs during the evening commute in the eastbound direction. During other times of the day and on weekends, I-580 does not experience significant congestion on a recurring basis.
Why did the project add a bike path on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge?
The bicycle/pedestrian path across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge a part of the San Francisco Bay Trail, connecting Marin County to Contra Costa County and beyond.
What does a “pilot” project mean?
The project’s two main components — the new third traffic lane in the eastbound direction (lower deck) and the bike/pedestrian path on the upper deck — were implemented as “pilot” projects. This means the improvements were installed on a temporary basis.
The performance of the improvements were studied and monitored between April 2018 through April 2024 and the final report can be found on the Caltrans website.
The results and decisions of the original pilot will make the lower deck improvements permanent and will extend the pilot on the upper deck with modified operations.
The pilot on the upper deck will be extended through the end of 2028 to allow for a study of the modified operations that went into effect on October 27, 2025. The results of this extended pilot study will inform the decisions made by BATA and Caltrans regarding how a long-term public access pathway on the bridge should be designed and operated to provide maximum feasible public access consistent with the current project as well with any proposed future projects.
Why did the project implement a bike and pedestrian path on the Contra Costa side?
Bicyclists are permitted to ride on the shoulders of I-580 between Marine Street and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza. State law requires that freeways with existing bike access maintain that access as part of any upgrade project.
What bike and pedestrian improvements have been made in Marin County as part of the project?
Bicyclists are permitted to ride on the shoulder of eastbound I-580 from Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the Main Street off-ramp in Marin County. The project maintains this existing access. Similarly, bicyclists are allowed to ride on Francisco Boulevard to connect to the westbound I-580 off-ramp to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Larkspur. The project maintains this access as well. In addition, the project has constructed Class II bike lanes on either side of Main Street under I-580, connecting the bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the on-bridge path to the San Quentin Village, where the County of Marin has built a sidewalk on the south side of Main Street.
Why does the bicycle/pedestrian path include a movable barrier?
A movable barrier separating the bicycle/pedestrian path from the westbound traffic lanes on the upper deck of the bridge was selected for the project because it provides better protection than would a temporary railing system (K-rail). The movable barrier is designed to absorb the impact of a vehicle in the case of an accident and minimize the amount of movement the barrier will experience. In addition, the movable barrier provides the flexibility to accommodate maintenance activities on the bridge while affording maintenance crews positive protection from nearby vehicle traffic. The movable barrier allows Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to respond in the case of a major accident.
What happens if there is an accident or a disabled vehicle on the bridge?
Emergency response personnel with some basic emergency equipment are staged at both ends of the bridge, ready to respond to an incident and address the situation until additional response units arrive on scene. If an incident requiring response were to occur on the westbound portion of the bridge (upper deck), emergency personnel can use the bicycle/pedestrian path to reach the scene and render assistance.