Marin kicks off study for Drake Boulevard multiuse path

Marin County planners are studying a short but significant gap in the San Francisco Bay Trail on East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

The 0.7-mile segment is between Remillard Park in Larkspur and the Interstate 580 overcrossing at Andersen Drive in San Rafael. Planners are gearing up to implement some near-term safety enhancements along the stretch while developing proposals for a more long-term upgrade for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Closing the multiuse path gap would create more than 10 miles of continuous off-street, paved bicycle and pedestrian access through Corte Madera, Larkspur and San Rafael and into Richmond. The path is part of the Bay Trail, a planned 500-mile shoreline trail that encircles the bay, traversing nine counties.

“This is kind of a real linchpin that may not look like a lot on its own, but knits together a lot of years — I would say, decades of work — and tens of millions of dollars invested in Marin County and the East Bay,” said Warren Wells, policy and planning director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition.

The organization, along with the Rails to Trails Conservancy, held an event last week to show the conditions, the site constraints and why improvements are needed.

A network of paths in Marin comes from the south, west and north to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit station at Larkspur Landing. The path continues east on East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, but ends at Remillard Park. At the terminus, there is a shoulder, but no sidewalk.

It’s a challenging section that tends to be attempted only by the most skilled cyclists, Wells said.

“It’s what we call a high-stress road: There’s a lot of pretty high-speed traffic going on here,” Wells said.

It continues that way until the Interstate 580 flyover, where a two-way path connects to another off-street route on the east side of the freeway. That path links to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The path across the span is open Thursday evening through Sunday. A shuttle for cyclists is available when it’s closed.

“Closure of this gap would have a really, really big impact on safe, car-free access throughout the bay,” said Jesse Voremberg, trail development manager for the Rails to Trails Conservancy. “We like to focus on these trail network projects that can serve as examples for the rest of the country as we’re working towards our greater mission of connecting communities with safe places to walk, be active outside, to create healthier, more vibrant places to live.”

The segment has been a priority project for regional Bay Trail advocates and a subject of study for more than a decade, including a 2011 feasibility study commissioned by the county. A follow up study in 2021 provided some project alternatives and rough project estimates.

In 2024, Marin County supervisors approved $791,000 to fund the new study that is intended to narrow options. The funds include $700,000 from a federal grant and $91,000 from the county’s road and bridge program. Parametrix, a transportation consulting firm, is contracted to do the work.

“Prior estimates for construction have ranged from $5 million to $15 million, depending on complexity of the alternative,” said Nick Nguyen, a county planning official. “As the study continues to define and refine alternatives, more accurate cost estimates will be assessed.”

County planners and consultants held a workshop last week to solicit public comments on the plan.

Wells said the bicycling community is advocating for the continuation of the off-street multiuse path.

“We don’t want to see painted bike lanes,” Wells said. “That wouldn’t really improve much for people out there today, and wouldn’t do anything for pedestrians.”

Next steps involve compiling community and technical comments into the analysis to come up with a recommended plan. Preliminary design and environmental reporting is expected to be completed in 2027, at which time planners will seek grant funding for construction.

“Many have been patiently waiting for this, and I think all the wheels are in motion to get the project shovel-ready and find the additional funding needed to close this gap between Remillard Park and Andersen Drive,” said Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, whose District 4 includes the corridor.

Meanwhile, the project team has proposed a “quick-build” project to serve as an interim safety solution. If implemented, the quick-build would use delineators, paint and other low-cost materials to designate the shoulder as a path.

County planners will meet with community stakeholders in the coming weeks to share design concepts, a proposed timeline and next steps. If the quick-build plan is approved, the county aims to implement the project later this year.