Dredging up future travel in South City
By: Andrea Koskey
July 8, 2009
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| Come on by: South City’s mayor hopes the ferry terminal brings in more visitors. (Courtesy rendering) |
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO —
Although the majority of funding for the project is still being held up by the state, demolition and dredging at Oyster Point Marina is slated to begin in fall to make way for a new
ferry terminal.
The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, or WETA, recently sent out a public notice for companies to bid on the demolition and dredging portion of the project, which is estimated to cost $1.8 million. The work should take about three months, according to John Sindzinski, WETA’s project manager for the South City ferry terminal.
“We need the prep work done before the ferries come in,” Sindzinski said.
The first-stage project will dredge up to 19,300 cubic yards of material from a 4.9-acre area from the east basin of the marina, channel and ferry area.
The $51 million project has been postponed numerous times due to funding obstacles. The planned start of ferry service is now anticipated for 2011, if state transportation funds approved by voters in
November 2006 are released. Legislators suspended the transportation bond program as a result of the state’s fiscal crisis.
Once complete, ferries would take commuters between South City and Oakland’s Jack London Square, giving riders the chance to sail past
Bay Bridge traffic in 30 minutes.
The ferry would also become an alternative mode of transportation during an earthquake or other disaster that could disable Bay Area bridges.
The project will bring San Mateo County its first ferry service.
South City Mayor Karyl Matsumoto hopes work will proceed as scheduled, bringing more people into the city.
“Hopefully it will make South San Francisco more of a destination point,” she said. “We have so many things to offer people. We are hoping this project comes to fruition.”
courtesy rendering
Come on by: South City’s mayor hopes the ferry terminal brings in more visitors.
