 Summer 2021
  
Effective Sunday, June 13, 2021, Golden Gate Transit schedules will be adjusted. Trips will be added to most routes, and Route 72 will no longer serve Petaluma Blvd N in Petaluma.
 As part of a multi-year process to develop a new transit center for San Rafael, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District (District) Board of Directors approved a resolution on May 21, 2021, to designate one of four build alternatives as the “preferred alternative” to serve as the focus of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).
The “Move Whistlestop Alternative” was designated as the preferred alternative, as it was identified by the project team as the best option to achieve the project objectives and the best customer experience for transit riders. The DEIR is expected to be released in late June/early July, after which the District will provide a public review period for written comments. Once the public review period is complete, the District will prepare a final environmental impact report, which is expected to be completed in early 2022. Read more...
   During the past year, the District has been the recipient of significant federal COVID relief money, allowing the District to remain afloat while the pandemic impacted our standard sources of revenue. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) provided about half of the revenue that the District used to pay its bus and ferry expenses for the 2020/2021 fiscal year, averting layoffs. In addition to Transit fare and other revenues, the District will rely on one-time federal funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to cover bus and ferry expenses during the 2021/22 fiscal year.
The charts below show how federal funding factored into the Golden Gate Transit system’s 2020/2021 fiscal year budget and how the system is estimated to be funded in the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
District’s Proposed Budget FY 2021-2022
 Since July 2020, the District has been working with experts to gain a better understanding of the humming sound produced by the Bridge during high winds, with a goal to dampen or eliminate the sounds. As a result, we are pleased to report that we have identified a promising solution, which requires additional refinement and testing before it is deemed effective, constructible, and suitable for the harsh environment on the Bridge. We look forward to sharing next steps as soon as they become available. Read more..
- If visiting the Bridge, be aware that during high wind events, we may close the west sidewalk due to safety concerns, and move all foot and bicycle traffic to the east sidewalk.
 On Thursday, July 1, 2021, all Golden Gate Bridge toll rates will increase. This includes the FasTrak Account rate (from $7.70 to $8.05), the Pay-As-You-Go rate (includes License Plate Accounts and One-Time Payments, from $8.40 to $8.60), Toll Invoice rate (from $8.70 to $9.05), carpool rate (from $5.70 to $6.05), and multi-axle vehicle toll rates. Read more...
 The San Francisco Bay Area, including the parking lots near the Golden Gate Bridge, continues to see high levels of property theft from vehicles. If you must drive your car to the Bridge, learn to Park Smart. Read more...
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Golden Gate Transit & Ferry have eased social distancing requirements from six feet to three feet on all trips in Marin County and San Francisco. The updated requirements have increased passenger capacity and reduced the number of “pass ups” due to limited seating. Masks are still required to ride at all times. The updated policy applies to all Golden Gate Ferry routes and on all Golden Gate routes except Route 40, 72, and 101, which provide service beyond Marin County and San Francisco. Read more...
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 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the District has focused on keeping our customers and employees safe. We are wiping down interior high-touch surfaces on our buses and ferries with disinfectant every day. This includes disinfecting handrails, armrests, grab bars, loops and handles, and fare boxes on all buses and ferries at least once per day. We are also deep-cleaning our ferries twice per week. Read more...
   The rebuild of the M.S. Sonoma is now complete and the vessel returned home under the Golden Gate Bridge on March 13, 2021. The vessel returned after being stripped to the bare hull and rebuilt from the ground up at the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders shipyard in Washington. Passenger improvements on the Sonoma include new seats, carpeting, ceilings, paint, and reduced engine noise, plus an elevator and a bicycle escalator. On the operating side, the Sonoma has new, cleaner engines, state-of-the-art electronics and navigation systems, and improved efficiency and reliability. This work on the Sonoma is part of the District's planned ferry maintenance work and marks the last of three planned overhauls for District mono-hull vessels. See our fleet here...
  Since early March, Sausalito Ferry service has been temporarily replaced with bus service (Route 96) while the Sausalito float undergoes maintenance. The float has been in continuous and rigorous use since the mid-1990s and was in need of immediate repairs. The float is at Bay Ship & Yacht, a local shipyard, where internal and external structures have been inspected and repairs are being made.
The work includes renewal of paint and decking that is not easily performed while the float is in use. Repairs have included a complete replacement of the deck, crop and renewal of side-shell steel where necessary, and repairs to mooring knees and fenders. The float has been blasted and coated with marine grade primer. Top coatings will be applied, boarding platforms will be installed, utility connections will be reinstalled, and the float will be towed back to Sausalito for installation on the existing piles. The float is expected to return in June. Read more...
 On Thursday, July 1, 2021, as part of a five-year fare program, Golden Gate Transit Bus and Golden Gate Ferry regional transit fares will increase. Discount fare programs will remain in effect for Clipper users, seniors, youth, and persons with disabilities. Read more...
 Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, Marin Transit, and SMART are offering free rides to customers taking transit to and from vaccination sites! Riders need to present physical or digital confirmation of their same-day vaccine appointment at time of boarding. This joint effort by Marin County transit agencies is aimed at reducing transportation and cost barriers for community members to receive the vaccine. Read more...
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