San Rafael Transit Center plan gets $25.6M federal grant

A multimillion-dollar project to relocate the San Rafael Transit Center — a plan afflicted with delays and cost increases — has received a $25.6 million jolt from the federal government.

The award is part of the Federal Transit Administration’s $390 million package from a competitive grant program that helps transit agencies buy and rehabilitate vehicles and facilities.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District owns the transit center, a major commuter hub for Golden Gate Transit, Marin Transit and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit.

“We really appreciate the support from the FTA in moving this forward to us,” said Ron Downing, director of planning for the Golden Gate Bridge district. “It’s really a game-changer.”

The San Rafael Transit Center is on Tamalpais Avenue in downtown. It’s bound by Third Street to the north, Second Street to the south and Hetherton Street to the east.

The project goal is to move the hub one block north.

The relocation is being pursued to address concerns about pedestrian safety and traffic flow that have arisen because of the SMART train tracks. SMART began service in downtown San Rafael in 2017. It’s station is a block north of the main transit hub.

Two years later SMART extended to Larkspur with tracks built directly through the main San Rafael Transit Center, requiring bus passengers to cross train tracks.

The new layout will centralize the bus and train stops on the same parcel, allowing passengers to transfer without having to cross busy downtown streets.

For the project to move forward, the district will need to acquire the Citibank parcel and the Depot building owned by the nonprofit service organization Vivalon.

The depot at 930 Tamalpais Ave. would be converted into a customer service building and retain its historic look. The arch features will be used throughout a new courtyard and waiting area. The plaza will feature a cafe, retail space, public art space, tables and chairs, bike lockers and bike racks. A bike lane through the site is also planned.

The district began its environmental analysis in 2017. In 2022, the district certified the study that satisfied the California Environmental Quality Act.

Staff had expected to use that analysis to also meet the requirements for the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. However, in 2023 the federal reporting requirements changed. Further archaeological testing and study were needed because there could be native and cultural artifacts in the soil beneath a portion of the project site.

The district discovered the issue in early 2024. Before that development, planners had expected construction to start early this year.

Downing said the district still has about six months to conclude its analysis, but the federal grant is a catalyst to hasten that process.

“Once we have that NEPA clearance, we can proceed with the other elements of the project that involve property appraisals and acquisitions, final design — all of the project elements that have been waiting in the wings until now,” Downing said.

In addition to the $25.6 million federal grant, the district has secured another $33 million from Regional Measure 3, the Bay Area bridge toll revenue fund.

The district also plans to sell the parcel where the existing transit center sits and use the revenue toward the project, Downing said. The district issued a request for proposals seeking a consultant for real estate appraisals and acquisitions.

Estimates in 2024 suggested the project would cost about $60 million to $65 million, but Downing said those projections are out of date. Inflation has driven up construction costs, property costs and other expenses, he said.

The detailed cost analysis and new estimates will be refined through the final design, Downing said.

If things go smoothly, the district might consider contracts for final design in early 2027 with construction starting the following year, Downing said.

For now, the grant has reinvigorated the push, Downing said.

“I am pleased that San Rafael Transit Center was selected for this federal grant in a very competitive process,” said Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, a member of the Golden Gate Bridge district board. “It shows how important this project is for the city of San Rafael, the county, the region and the GGBHTD.”

San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin, chair of the Transportation Authority of Marin, called the grant “a significant win.”

“Improving our transit center strengthens regional connectivity, supports our downtown and makes it easier for residents and workers to move more efficiently through Marin and beyond,” Colin said.