The San Francisco Bay Ferry system unveiled an ambitious 25-year plan to enhance and expand water transit across the region while transitioning to an all-electric fleet by 2050.
The agency’s board of directors adopted the 2050 Service Vision, which sets standards for adding existing ferry routes and identifying new markets for waterborne public transportation. Four near-term expansion opportunities target Berkeley, Mission Bay, Redwood City and Treasure Island.
“There is strong interest in the expansion of the network,” Jim Wunderman, chair of the ferry board, said in a press release. “This vision reflects our commitment to aggressively pursue a new golden age of ferries in the Bay Area.”
Longer-term target cities for ferry expansion include Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Hercules, Foster City and South San Francisco, the agency announced this week. The plan also proposes a direct East Bay-Marin service, frequent Alameda-Oakland crossings and a pilot program to assess emerging technologies.
In a nod to the effects of climate change, the policy mandates a transition to zero-emission vessels powered by renewable electricity. The agency has already secured $117 million to begin electrifying its fleet of 17 vessels, 13 of which, officials say, already meet strict emissions standards while running on renewable diesel.
Shipyard contracts for the first five electric ferries are expected by year’s end.