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Port presents preliminary design concepts for downtown ferry terminal expansion
Summary
Port staff and design consultants presented preliminary design ideas for an expanded downtown ferry terminal in partnership with WETA, including new gates, queuing and weather‑protection canopies, improved pedestrian circulation, and a phased environmental review (EIR/EIS) with a draft due late this year and final certification expected next fall.
Port staff presented an informational update on preliminary design concepts for an expanded downtown ferry terminal and adjacent public spaces, developed in partnership with the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) and design consultants. The presentation described proposals to increase berthing capacity with new gates, reorganize Gate E for future service patterns, and add new land‑side circulation and queuing areas to improve passenger flow and emergency response capabilities.
The consultant described potential new gates (labeled in the presentation as Gates A, F and G), conversion options for Gate E and provision for future bow‑loading vessels for Treasure Island service. The design concepts include glass canopies and organized queuing structures to provide weather protection and clearer passenger circulation; widened promenades and improved connections between the ferry building, the East Ferry Plaza and future public‑space renovations were also proposed.
On funding, the presenter said WETA would pursue a combination of sources including regional bridge funds (referred to in the presentation as RM2) and other available transit funding sources; port staff noted past use of Prop K funds and other public space funding approaches as possibilities for non‑terminal public‑realm elements. Staff said the conceptual planning will inform the project description for the environmental review; the presentation cited a draft EIR/EIS scheduled for release near the end of this year with final certification expected next fall. Staff also noted planned design review before the Waterfront Design Advisory Committee and BCDC's design review board in early June and additional public outreach through the summer.
Commissioners asked about funding responsibilities between the port and WETA, the project's interface with BART service areas and emergency response capacity. Staff said the project would likely be constructed in phases tied to service needs and that further policy decisions on funding and public‑space management would return to the commission for direction.
The presentation was informational; no formal action was taken. Staff and the design team will return with additional informational briefings and later agenda items seeking policy direction and approvals as the environmental review and design process proceed.
