Close the Gap - Open the Tunnel

There are only two hills between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Giants Stadium along our Bay Trail- the Crissy Field Dr. hill and the Fort Mason hill. The SFBC is interested in exploring an improved route for cyclists besides having to climb the very steep Fort Mason hill heading westbound.

There are two potential routes that would provide a level and safe bike and pedestrian route connecting Aquatic Park and the Marina Green:

Fort Mason Tunnel

The Fort Mason railroad tunnel was abandoned in the 1970's and has sat vacant since then. It is now being looked at for extension of the F-streetcar line to Fort Mason. Although it is unlikely that rail and bikes could share the tunnel, the rail extension is by no means a certainty and does not have full funding at the present time. Hundreds of old railroad tunnels have been converted for use by cyclists and pedestrians, and such an adaptive re-use would not only connect San Franciscans with their waterfront, but also to their history. You can read more about the conversion of tunnels along rail-trails at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy site

Boardwalk around Fort Mason Waterfront

This is another possibility for providing a level route through Fort Mason. A boardwalk could be constructed from the Aquatic Park Fishing Pier to the eastern end of Fort Mason. In addition to a multi-use pathway, this could also be an interpretive point and an attraction for tourists, as the old abandoned fishing pier next to the Aquatic Pier is where they used to embark to take prisoners to serve long sentences on Alcatraz.