The Proposed Ferry Route:

• Berkeley/Albany to San Francisco

Trip Time(s):

• Berkeley/Albany to San Francisco Ferry Building: 22 minutes

The Benefits of a Berkeley/Albany Ferry Service:

• The need for Berkeley/Albany ferry service reflects increasing congestion on both I-80 and BART, as well as the need for additional transit alternatives to serve Emeryville and other communities located along the East Bay shoreline.

• Berkeley/Albany is a water transit origin for local residents who work and play in San Francisco, as well as a destination for students, shoppers, culturati, outdoor enthusiasts and sightseers.

The Riders:

• Water-transit service to-and-from Berkeley/Albany is forecast to have one of the highest riderships of new Bay Area routes.

• WTA's ridership forecasts identified 2,776 daily Berkeley passenger trips to and from San Francisco and Mission Bay by 2025. The majority will be drivers shifting from cars to water transit.

The Terminal:

• Several sites along the Berkeley/Albany waterfront are potential terminal locations.

• The sites will undergo a full environmental review study.

• More than 140 residential units, plus additional ground floor commercial space, are being added to Berkeley's downtown; another 130 residential units have been proposed and are in the planning stages.

Convenient Connections:

• Berkeley to offer good connections to Amtrak that would complement ongoing water transit-oriented development (WaTOD).

• WTA will work with AC Transit to provide feeder service to ferry terminals in Berkeley.

• A Berkeley/Albany ferry could also connect bikers with the Bay Trail.

The Timeline:

• Planning, Design and Construction: 2006-2010

• Initial Service: 2011

• Timeline dependent on availability of funds, environmental impacts and local support and commitment.

The Emergency Response:

• A ferry terminal in Berkeley/Albany could provide emergency access to the East Bay if highway and bridge travel is disrupted.

• New and increased ferry service was used in 1989 to transport passengers and supplies after the Loma Prieta Earthquake blocked access to and damaged the Bay Bridge.

• In 23 years, ferries have been used six times in the Bay Area to replace damaged or disrupted transportation links.

Proposed Funding Sources:

• A toll increase to State-owned bridges to be referred to voters in 2004

• Federal Ferryboat Discretionary Fund

• Transit Impact Fees

• Farebox Revenue

WETA Project background:

WETA (the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority) was established by SB976, and replaces the WTA (Water Transit Authority). The intention of SB 976 is to improve the ability of ferries to respond in an emergency.

Read More About WETA

Next Steps:

Contact information: