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San Rafael accepts mid‑year update on Canal community transportation plan; funding secured for feasibility and design
Summary
Council heard progress on 11 Canal plan solutions, including ATP funding (~$1.6M) for a bridge feasibility study and a $2M Reconnecting Neighborhoods grant for Bellum Boulevard planning. Staff outlined pilot projects, sidewalk and lighting work, PG&E undergrounding coordination and monitoring plans; council accepted the informational report 5‑0.
San Rafael Councilors on Jan. 21 received a mid‑year status update on the 2022 Canal Community Based Transportation Plan, which documents 11 community‑driven transportation solutions for the Canal neighborhood. Public Works Director April Miller and Assistant Director Joanna Kwok outlined completed items, pilot projects and funding milestones that have moved projects into design and feasibility stages.
The nut graf: Staff reported securing roughly $1,600,000 in Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 6 funding to begin feasibility work on a new pedestrian‑bicycle bridge connecting the Canal Harbor area to Third Street, and announced a $2,000,000 Reconnecting Neighborhoods grant to fund planning and study work on Bellum Boulevard. Council voted to accept the informational report unanimously.
Staff described a phased approach to implementing solutions: feasibility and design procurement for the bridge, bike‑share pilot sites (Redwood bike share) and active transportation work to close sidewalk gaps and upgrade curb ramps. Pilots such as traffic calming at Spinnaker Point will be monitored using a mix of quantitative and survey data; staff said some recently completed installations, like the Grand Avenue cycle track, have received positive anecdotal feedback though formal monitoring is ongoing.
The presentation noted dependencies and timing: coordination with TAM, MTC, Marin Transit and PG&E is required for some projects (PG&E Rule 20A credits are being applied to undergrounding work and staff reported being prioritized onto PG&E’s work plan with work anticipated in 2026). Staff cautioned that short‑term maintenance projects in the plan will not alone address longer‑term sea level rise; larger capital projects will need separate sea‑level‑rise engineering and funding. For the bridge, planners initially estimated $5–10 million in the community plan but staff said an eventual construction cost could be substantially higher depending on feasibility outcomes.
Councilors sought details about cost bands and how projects will appear in the CIP. Staff said many items are small or programmatic (pavement/striping, crosswalks) and will be delivered through annual programs, while larger capital items will be added to the CIP as funding and project definition mature. After public comment and follow‑up Q&A about bus shelters, bike‑lane cleaning and park lighting policies, Council Member Yorentz Galati moved to accept the report; the motion carried 5‑0.
Next steps listed by staff include issuing an RFP for the bridge feasibility study later in spring/summer, awarding design contracts for the canal active transportation experience project, continuing community outreach on lighting and pilot evaluation, and pursuing further grants for unfunded items.
