An executive committee of the Transportation Authority of Marin is recommending the distribution of nearly $12 million in bridge toll tax revenue to support county transit projects.
The projects include replacing the San Rafael Transit Center, replacing the Marin Transit bus fleet and extending a Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit path in Novato, among others.
The funds would come from the North Bay Transit Access Improvement Program of Regional Measure 3, the 2018 ballot measure to raise tolls on the seven state-owned bridges in the Bay Area.
David Chan, director of programming for the Transportation Authority of Marin, said each project selected for funding met the goals and intent of Regional Measure 3.
“They contribute to the network in Marin,” Chan said at a committee meeting last week.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which administers the Regional Measure 3 tax dollars, provided $100 million for the North Bay Transit Access Improvement Program to be split evenly among five counties.
With $20 million to distribute, the Transportation Authority of Marin officials decided to split allocations in the county over two application periods.
The board approved the first call for projects earlier this year. Golden Gate Transit, Marin Transit and SMART submitted applications seeking a total of $32 million, Chan said. The TAM staff recommended a total of $11.86 million to distribute in the first period, Chan said.
The funding would include $2 million for designing the Golden Gate Bridge district’s San Rafael Transit Center project; $1.5 million to help Marin Transit replace its bus fleet; $923,000 to design a new Marin Transit electric bus charging and maintenance facility; and $2.5 million for bus stop improvements across the county.
Another $4.71 million would create the SMART path extension from Hanna Ranch Road to Rowland Boulevard in Novato, and $224,000 to design a passenger dropoff and pickup zone at the Civic Center SMART station with accessible parking and a class 1 bike path upgrade.
“The recommendation was based on the strategy to either fund the project to completion or fund the project to complete the final design so that the project can be considered shovel-ready,” Chan said.
The reason the San Rafael Transit Center project was selected is because it has the greatest funding shortfall.
“By funding $2 million for the final design, we will help defray some of the construction shortfall later on,” Chan said. Because construction isn’t planned until 2027 or later, “this project will remain eligible for the second call for projects.”
Chan said the San Rafael project is considered a significant county and regional project that “should be competitive for other grant programs” as well.
If the allocations are approved, that leaves $8.14 million for a second application period, Chan said.
Marin County Supervisor Mary Sackett, a committee member and TAM board member, said there is a lot of planning happening around the Civic Center SMART station.
For example, Caltrans is planning a roundabout at the nearby Freitas Parkway intersection, and the Agricultural Institute of Marin is planning a new parking area as part of its Center for Food and Agriculture at the Marin County Civic Center campus.
Sackett said she wants staff at all agencies to coordinate “to make sure we’re all working together.”
“There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of people to coordinate with,” Sackett said.
Marin Supervisor Katie Rice, another TAM board and committee member, said the funding allocations make sense to her.
“I’m especially pleased to see the whole funding recommendation for the bus stop improvements,” Rice said.
If approved, Marin Transit would receive the full $2.5 million request to replace bus shelters and address other deferred maintenance at several stops.
“These are the kind of things, these capital improvements, that really make a difference for users,” Rice said. “Like a coat of paint in a classroom, it can make a difference in terms of attitude and user-friendly atmosphere.”
The Transportation Authority of Marin board plans to considering the allocation at its meeting on Thursday. The board meeting is set for 6 p.m. in Room 330 at the Marin County Civic Center at 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael.
More information is at tam.ca.gov.
