The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (Bridge District) will hold the second public meeting for the San Rafael Transit Center Relocation Project on Tuesday, June 12, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Whistlestop to present proposed concepts for the new San Rafael Transit Center (SRTC). Whistlestop is located at 930 Tamalpais Avenue in San Rafael, adjacent to the SRTC. Whistlestop is accessible by Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) and multiple bus routes. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting to learn about concepts under consideration and to share feedback on their preferences.
This meeting follows a March public meeting where the Bridge District solicited feedback from the public about how they utilize the current transit center and their desires for a future facility. Approximately 75 people attended the first meeting.
“We heard valuable feedback from community members at the first public meeting for the project in March,” said Bridge District General Manager Denis Mulligan. “We look forward to sharing concepts under consideration with San Rafael residents, transit users, and other community members on June 12. Public input is key to creating a more accessible transit facility and improving connectivity for all users.”
The Bridge District, in coordination with the City of San Rafael, Marin Transit, Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), and SMART, is working to identify a location for a new SRTC. This project will include analysis and identification of potential sites for the transit center in downtown San Rafael, an environmental clearance process, and preliminary design. A preferred transit center location and configuration is anticipated to be selected in 2018/2019. Environmental analysis and preliminary design are anticipated to be completed in 2020. Subsequent project efforts after 2020 will include final design and construction.
The San Rafael Transit Center serves as a regional transit hub for Marin County, connecting passengers to bus service, airporter service, taxi, and rail service to San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Sonoma counties. The 17-bay bus transit center is a connection point for over 500 buses and 9,000 passenger boardings and alightings a day.
The Bridge District will serve as the lead environmental agency for the project as the owner of the SRTC. The Bridge District, Marin Transit, TAM, the City of San Rafael, and SMART are all partners in the project.
Funding for this project is from the One Bay Area Grant program and Bridge District funds. Funding sources for the design and construction of the new transit center are anticipated to be a combination of local, state, and federal programs.
There will be multiple community meetings and a variety of ways to offer input and stay connected. More information can be found at the San Rafael Transit Center Project page.