Caption: Veronica Sanchez, Manager of Governmental Affairs (left) and Nita Mizushima, Project Manager (right), both with the Port of San Francisco

Q: Veronica, historically the port of San Francisco was a major shipping center but what with that being less and less the case, what is the modern mission of the port of San Francisco?

A: We are one of the most diverse ports in the world and this is our strength. The Port of San Francisco has it all! For example, we have a thriving fishing industry, popular restaurants, cargo ships, a major league baseball team and a newly restored wetlands. Our mission is to promote a balance of maritime, industrial recreational and commercial activities. We are a self-supporting agency and unlike other ports in the Northwest or East Coast we don’t receive any operating subsidies from the City or State.

There is a misconception that our port’s maritime industries have gone away because cargo ships aren’t docked at piers along the Embarcadero. In fact, cargo shipping is growing at our port but most people don’t see this because our shipping terminals are located in the Southern part of the City. We have ten shipping lines docking at our container terminal at the foot of Potrero Hill. The Port of San Francisco is a hub for Latin American shipping lines. There’s a good bet that your morning cup of coffee or your glass of Chilean Red wine can be traced to a ship docking at our Pier 80 terminal. The lamb or seafood at your dinner table may have come in on a container from the South Pacific through our port.

We are home to other maritime industries like ship repair, tug boat operations, cruise ships, excursion vessels and the fishing industry. They provide good paying jobs — predominately union jobs for our region.

We are the landlord to restaurants, retail businesses on the waterside of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Wharf is the most popular tourist destination in San Francisco. It’s also the place for visitors to board excursion boats on the Red and White, Blue and Gold and Vallejo ferries. We have terrific "funky" restaurants that used to be "eating joints" for longshoremen and other laborers.

Our waterfront is undergoing a renaissance with the opening of the Mid Embarcadero, F-Line, Pac Bell Park and other developments. It is truly excited seeing people of all ages and walks of life rediscovering and enjoying our waterfront. This is the core of our public mission.

Q: How does the port of San Francisco figure in the overall scheme of things having to do with San Francisco Bay ferry service?

A: The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake reawakened the public’s interest in ferry service. Our Port had a big awakening too! Our ferry terminal was badly in need of an upgrade. We realized that ferry transportation was making a comeback as a key transportation choice. We went into a proactive mode for modernizing our ferry facilities. We started planning one new terminal and ended up planning two terminals to accommodate the addition of new vessels. The Downtown Ferry Terminal is one of the most ambitious capital projects our Port has brought into construction. We are very proud!

Q: Nieret Mizushima, you’re the project manager for the improvements Veronica just spoke of. What differences will ferry riders see when all this work is finished?

A: When all this work is finished we will have two new terminals, one on the south side of the ferry building and one on the north. Ferry riders will have better access between terminals as well as to the Embarcadero. Some things they won’t see will be just as important; the structures will be able to withstand major earthquakes and will even be outfitted with emergency generators so that if the power should go out the terminals can continue to operate. Other improvements will be felt; weather protection so that in inclement weather a much more comfortable experience will be provided for ferry riders. By weather protections I mean canopies over loading ramps. We’re also building for the future. We will more than double our current capacity.

Q: What about the loading ramps themselves? On the Pier ½ side they’re small and difficult, if not dangerous, for the workers to operate? Will the new ramps be as good as those on the Golden Gate Ferry side?

A: The new ramps will be wider, more efficient, and, because they will be hydraulic, much easier to operate. The layout of the ramps will be such that we will be accommodating a variety of vessels, which is a problem Golden Gate Ferry doesn’t have to deal with. Their hydraulic ramps need to work with specific vessels whereas we have to accommodate all kinds of different vessels out there that are providing commuter service. So we must make sure that our floats work with widely varying free board heights.

Q: What do you mean by "free board heights"?

A: Vessels all float at different heights above the water so the higher it is, the higher your ramp needs to reach. The challenge is that we need to make sure that in all cases, our ramps’ slopes will remain moderate and accessible to all.

Q: What is all this going to look like?

A: The new terminals are going to be beyond esthetically pleasing, they will be world class. Semi-translucent canopies, like those at Denver International Airport will create a light airy illuminated feeling so at night you’ll see a kind of a glowing effect. The portals, or entrances to the terminals, will be all granite clad and designed to pull in the detailing that you see on the Embarcadero, the roadside design, and also to enhance the historic features of the building itself, a classic, understated yet grand overall effect.

Q: I understand that the Golden Gate Ferry will be connected to the new north terminal along the waterside of the Ferry Building.

A: Indeed it will. On the east side of the building there is currently a boiler room that blocks the north and the south half of the building. It will eventually be taken down and the deck will be rebuilt so that you will have continuous access along the waterside of the Ferry Building. That area also will be widened out to allow café seating and benches for people who want to sit and wait for their ferries. This part of the project will be finished when the Ferry Building is renovated by Summer 2002.

Q: What about the new terminals on the north and south? When will they be done?

A: By January 2001.

Q: What kind of disruptions should ferry riders be expecting?

A: Actually they have probably experienced the first half of the disruptions already when we demolished the deck north of the Ferry Building, which meant they could no longer pass through the Ferry Building to get to Embarcadero. The next disruption that they are going to experience will be when we open up the north and south ferry terminals.

We will take the service for Oakland, Alameda and Harbor Bay that are currently on Pier ½ and put them at the new South Terminal, next to Sinbad’s. The ferries headed to Vallejo and Marin County will stay at the North side of the Ferry Building.

A new barge will be moved closer to the Ferry Building at the Northeast corner. The whole idea is to separate the East and future South Bay traffic from the North Bay traffic. By avoiding vessel from crossing, we reduce delays and improve efficiency.

Q: So that change will happen once and for all?

A: Yes. Right now we anticipate probably a month lag between the north and the south terminals being opened. This means that the East Bay service will move to the new south terminal when it opens by December 2000 the North Bay services will relocate to the new north terminal approximately one month later in January 2001.

Q: So when all is said and done the folks that now catch the Alameda/Oakland line and the Harbor Bay line will be catching their ferry over on the new float, which is going to be between Sinbad’s and the ferry terminal plaza?

A: Right.

Q: What will all these changes mean in terms of vessel traffic?

A: It’ll be faster and safer. Right now, services coming in from the north have to cross paths with services coming in from the east. This means a conflict point where you have ferry vessels that need to hesitate before they come in to make sure that they are not in the way of an incoming vessel. The way we plan to split the services will be more logical, meaning paths of travel will be more direct and free of conflict.

Q: So how much is this entire going to cost?

A: $15 million for construction of both Downtown Ferry Terminals. We already spent $2 million for planning and design.

Q: Who got this money?

A: This is our State and Federal tax dollars at work! The Port successfully obtained Federal and State transportation grants. The State of California gave us our first grants to jumpstart the project after the earthquake and they’ve contributed over $7.5 million in state bond monies. We got $8 million from Federal grants. Our Congressional Delegation has supported us every step of the way. Senators Boxer, Feinstein and Representative Pelosi have helped us get a big share of Federal dollars.

Q: When it’s all done will you be prepared for any new expansion that might take place under plans that we hear about with the Bay Area Water Transit Authority?

A: Our work on this project actually predates the Authority. When the Blue Ribbon Task Force submitted their projection of future ferry services, we stopped and re-evaluated the project to ensure that could accommodate the projected increases in ridership. There is a second phase that will add two more terminals in what we call the South Basin, the area south of the Ferry Plaza protected by a new breakwater. The starting date for the second phase is still not known.

Q: Are these the only ferry terminals you are currently planning or are there plans for Mission Bay, Pier 41 or elsewhere?

A: No. We’re still finishing up the terminal at Pac Bell Park so we have our hands full. Lots of people don’t know that the Port of San Francisco and the Federal Government paid for the ferry terminal there. We built the China Basin Terminal not just for game days but also to serve South of Market, and Mission Bay, including the new UCSF campus. There are great connections to MUNI and CALTRAIN.

Plans are proceeding for construction of a new barge at Pier 43 next to the historic rail arch. The City of Vallejo is spearheading this project.

We are also interested in participating in future studies of how to move trucks and cargo across the Bay via water

 transit. Given the gridlock on our roads, we must be innovative about transporting goods, packages and trucks across the Bay.

Q: If ferry riders have questions or want to learn more about what is going on with this project whom should they contact?

A: We have an information line where they can also leave messages if they have questions or concerns (415) 274-0559, or they can email me at nieret_mizushima@sfport.com. The Port’s website is: www.sfport.com.

Q: What role is the port of San Francisco going to play with the Bay Area Water Transit Authority?

A: We are going to be very active. We have a unique perspective to offer because all the major ferry operators are docking at our Port. We’ve been involved the planning and construction of two major ferry terminal projects. We have experience that will be very valuable in the planning of future facilities and routes.

Q: Will the Port of San Francisco support new ferry services that don’t necessarily go to San Francisco, say for example a connection between Alameda and Redwood City?

A: Absolutely. The bottom line is to get people out of their cars to reduce traffic on all Bay Area Highways.

Q: Finally, our readers want to know: what will happen to the Conference Room which Bay Crossings has named "the best damned bar in San Francisco"?