Study Overview
The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (District) is conducting the Larkspur Service Expansion and Parking Study (Study) to review ways to increase ferry ridership and reduce traffic congestion on Highway 101 in Marin and Sonoma counties and in the Larkspur Landing area. The Study will consider how the ferry terminal ground transportation area can accommodate increases in ridership with adequate parking, transit connectivity (bus and rail), and walking and bicycling, for overall reduction in traffic backup and congestion in the area.
When Study planning began in 2019, ferry ridership had hit a maximum peak capacity. Average weekday ridership was over 8,000 passengers on a fleet of seven ferries that supported 42 average daily crossings. Several times a week, ferry passengers were turned away for lack of parking by late morning. Congestion on Highway 101 was worsening. Though congestion had mostly vanished at the start of the pandemic in March of 2020, vehicle traffic on Highway 101 and in the Larkspur Landing vicinity has started to increase again.
The future beyond the pandemic is uncertain, but the Bay Area’s economy has proven resilient in the past. Economists expect that there will be a rebound to the economy that will bring a return of traffic congestion and its negative impacts. By leading the Study now, the District is taking steps to support the region in planning and preparing for recovery and a post-pandemic future.
Background
The Bridge District can provide up to an average of 42 ferry trips per day between Larkspur and San Francisco, and in 2019 average weekday ridership exceeded 8,000 customers and the ferry service operated at the maximum of 42 average trips. In addition, ferry passengers arriving by car were turned away several days per-week, often before 10 am, due to a lack of parking.
To help alleviate future congestion along the Highway 101 corridor the project is forecasting ferry ridership demand and corresponding ferry trip levels to 2050, developing a robust set of project alternatives for multi-modal access improvements at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal (including parking, transit, bicycle, pedestrian and other modes), conducting stakeholder and community outreach, selecting a preferred alternative, and seeking environmental clearance for the forecast ferry service levels and the preferred alternative through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.
Study Timeline
The Study is scheduled over three phases.
Community Engagement
The Study is informed by feedback from residents, transit riders, public agencies and other stakeholders. Community engagement completed to date:
- 25 Stakeholder Interviews
- Community Open House - May 2024
- Passenger Survey - September 2024
- Environmental Scoping Open House - October 2024
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Feedback
- Leave a message for the study team below, or call (415) 257-4493. The study team can also be reached at LFEP@goldengate.org.