The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike path has stirred debate since it opened in 2019. Now, Caltrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority want to make it a part-time amenity.
The new plan keeps the bike path open on weekends. On weekdays, they’d use the lane for emergency breakdowns, and cyclists would get a shuttle during those times.
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Officials say they’re trying to strike a balance. Marin County cyclists value the connection, but commuters from San Rafael, Novato, and nearby towns blame the bike lane for traffic headaches.
The Proposed Changes to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Bike Path
Transportation authorities want the bike path open from Thursday afternoons through Sunday nights. That gives cyclists from Tiburon, Mill Valley, and beyond a shot at weekend rides.
Weekday commute times would see the path turned into an emergency lane. Marin County officials have pushed for this since the pilot started.
Shuttle Service Implementation
To help cyclists when the path’s closed, the Bay Area Toll Authority approved a $1.6 million contract with Code 3 Transportation. The shuttle would run across the bridge for riders from Larkspur, Corte Madera, and other Marin towns needing to cross on weekdays.
This shuttle idea is a compromise, but cycling advocates from Fairfax and San Anselmo wonder if it truly works for commuters who count on the connection.
Stakeholder Positions on the Revised Plan
Not surprisingly, Marin County stakeholders are split. The Marin Association of Public Employees supports the change, saying it’ll help workers commuting to Richmond and other East Bay spots from places like Sausalito and Belvedere.
Cycling Community Response
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition doesn’t like the part-time switch. They argue the $1.6 million for shuttles should go toward keeping the path open all the time for cyclists from Ross, Kentfield, and the rest of the county.
Consistent, reliable bike infrastructure matters, they say, for both commuters and folks out for a weekend ride. Cyclists from Greenbrae and Strawberry especially appreciate the direct East Bay link, skipping the often-crowded Highway 101 in San Rafael.
Future Transportation Projects and Timeline
If they approve it after the August 7 public hearing, the new pilot would run for three years starting this fall.
During that time, transportation agencies plan to tackle a few projects, including:
Construction Challenges and Delays
The carpool lane project comes with a hefty price tag, somewhere between $14-45 million. Results probably won’t show up until 2028.
There’s also a $1.25 million contract to move utilities for the San Rafael bike connection. That work’s running behind schedule, and now they think it’ll wrap up in 2026, which is a headache for cyclists from Terra Linda and Santa Venetia.
Marin County residents are waiting for the August public hearing. The debate keeps circling back to the tough question: how do you split up limited infrastructure among all the transportation options in the jam-packed North Bay corridor?
From Tiburon to Point Reyes Station, folks across Marin definitely have opinions about the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. They’re not shy about how they think it should serve the region’s transportation needs.
Here is the source article for this story: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge revised bike path plan submitted
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