TAM Settles On Pedestrian Bridge Design

It's not exactly the Bridge Over The River Kwai, but the Bridge Over Larkspur Landing is expected to see a lot of action.

The proposed pedestrian overpass would complete the path from the CalPark Tunnel and connect it to the far side of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard as a safe crossing to the ferry terminal. It would cross Drake near the old railroad trestle.

Transportation Authority of Marin Executive Board members Monday approved the "Warren Truss" design, which will now be sent to the Larkspur City Council for its approval. The City Council will likely see it on the agenda in February.

The design was chosen after members of the Larkspur City Council and residents offered input at a neighborhood meeting in November. TAM members felt it tied in well with the look of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and was cost effective. A cost estimate will be presented at a later TAM meeting, but it is expected to cost $15 million.

The board's approval didn't come without some questions. Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey wondered whether or not designers could save money by adding a central column under the bridge. The Larkspur Public Works Department reportedly prefers the design without a column in the median on Drake, allowing for a clear view of traffic and possible lane reconfigurations. With or without the column, however, the bridge has plenty of support.

Members of the Marin County Bicycling Commission are looking forward to a safe route around the Larkspur Landing area. Cyclists using the CalPark Tunnel path currently ride through the Century Cinemas parking lot and often battle with cars and buses to get to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal or the bike path that runs along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

The bridge won't likely be finished in time for San Francisco Giants fans to catch the special ferry from Larkspur to AT&T Park for the home opener. TAM has authorized a grant to the City of Larkspur to create another safe route, which could involve painting crosswalks across Larkspur Landing Circle and other work to avoid conflicts between bikes and cars.