The San Rafael (Bettini) Transit Center, which is owned by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD), needs to be modified or moved to a new location to make way for the SMART train’s extension from San Rafael to Larkspur.
The Bettini Transit Center is the largest transit center in Marin County and serves a vital role as the current hub of all local transit services. It currently is used by Golden Gate, Marin Transit, airporter buses, Sonoma County Transit, Greyhound, paratransit and taxi services, enabling 9,000 people each day to make the transportation connections they need. Marin Transit is the heaviest user of the facility.
Long-term solutions
TAM provided funding for the study of potential long-term solutions, which began in 2015, to either modify the current Bettini Transit Center or to relocate the transit center to an appropriate location. As a result of this study, alternative sites were identified for potential relocation of the facility, including re-use potential of the existing transit center site.
The next phases for the project will be the public input and environmental clearance process to identify the preferred solution, and then the design process for the selected alternative.
Interim changes
While long-term solutions are being studied, there will be some interim modifications made so that bus service can continue uninterrupted while the SMART rail is constructed and train service is initiated to Larkspur. Next steps for the interim solution include preliminary environmental and engineering work, and then design and construction.
For more information, visit the City of San Rafael project page
The City of San Rafael, in conjunction with the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD) and Marin Transit, were awarded funds from TAM for an OBAG cycle 1 grant for the development of alternatives for the Bettini Transit Center relocation. TAM has also contributed funding to the next phase of the project, preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for the long term solutions during its OBAG 2 cycle of funding.