SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News

[pdxstreetcar]

I don't think its really about serving Marin as much as its about a key regional connection between BART and SMART that happens to be in Marin. Its looking like the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is going to have to be replaced in the near future. Given BART currently terminates in Richmond and a new Richmond-San Rafael Bridge could theorically include a rail right of way that gets you to Marin and also gets you much of the distance. San Rafael is also a natural terminus (traditional downtown and local transit hub) and is not too far from the bridge. San Rafael could also be the only BART station in Marin (or there could also be a more park-n-ride focused one near 580 and San Quentin).

Sure there is the complexity of bringing Marin into the BART district and the fact that Marin is a world-famous hotbed for hypocritical eco-NIMBYs.

The other option is getting SMART to Richmond but thats probably harder with its terminal now in Larkspur. Personally I think BART makes more sense to cross the bridge given its the main regional transit system for the Bay Area so its the more logical one to span between close-in counties. SMART is a great system but in my opinion better suited to the NWP corridor with good but somewhat infrequent service linking more distant towns.

Maybe SMART could be extended further south to Corte Madera, Mill Valley and North Sausalito and then San Rafael could be the big regional hub transfer point for BART?