Regional and state officials recently celebrated the official opening of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Vista Point, marking the completion of the Richmond-San Rafael Seismic Retrofit Project.
The new Vista Point in San Rafael is just off Francisco Blvd. near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. From the East Bay, take I-580 west across the bridge and exit at Francisco Blvd.; from Marin, take I-580 east to the San Quentin exit and turn left. Photo by John Huseby/Caltrans
Published: February, 2008
The opening event was sponsored by the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee — consisting of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA, which is run by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, or MTC) and the California Transportation Commission — in partnership with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC).
The space provides shoreline public access while protecting the sensitive environment of the San Francisco Bay. This Vista Point was designed for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy picturesque views of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the San Francisco Bay and Point Molate, said Tony Anziano, Caltrans Toll Bridge program manager. The architecture of the pedestrian bridge, the handrails and the graceful curvature of the walls complement the aesthetics of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
BCDC Vice-Chair Anne Halsted (who also serves as a commissioner for MTC and BATA) heralded the partnership among the agencies, saying it yielded one of the best mitigation projects ever performed between Caltrans and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
The 24,000 square foot, $1million project features a pedestrian bridge to conserve and protect the sensitive salt water marsh, a landscape featuring drought-tolerant plants, an Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant shoreline trail, rock-slope protection to minimize erosion to the Bay shoreline, a recreational area furnished with a picnic table and benches, new sidewalks, parking area for six vehicles, and a renewed bus stop area for Golden Gate Transit riders.
The Vista Point is located at the foot of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge landing, accessible via Francisco Boulevard in San Rafael. It is open to the public daily between dawn and dusk.
