The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (Bridge District) in California has secured a $25.6 million federal grant to support the relocation of the San Rafael Transit Center (SRTC) in Marion County. The facility serves as the county’s primary regional transit hub and the second-busiest transit hub in the Bay Area behind the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco.
The award is part of a nearly $390 million package announced Feb. 20 by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) through its Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. The funding supports 34 projects across 19 states and Puerto Rico and was drawn from remaining applications under the fiscal year 2025 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
With this latest round, the FTA has allocated about $2.4 billion across both fiscal years under the Buses and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission programs, according to the agency.
The Bridge District owns the existing transit center on Tamalpais Avenue in downtown San Rafael, which serves as a transfer point for Golden Gate Transit, Marin Transit and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART). The facility handles about 9,000 daily boardings, according to the Bridge District.
When SMART extended its rail line south to Larkspur in 2019, the tracks bisected the site. The current layout forces bus passengers to cross active rail lines to make transfers and limits space for bus operations. The relocation would move the hub one block north, consolidating bus and rail service onto one parcel so riders can transfer without crossing downtown streets.
The new facility would occupy a roughly 3-acre site between Third and Fourth streets. An existing depot building beside the San Rafael SMART station, a bank and an underused parking lot would be converted into a unified transit complex.
Plans call for 17 bus bays, matching the current station, with room for future expansion. The design includes a customer service center, a bus driver break room, a courtyard area and curb space for shuttles, taxis and bicycles. Design elements draw from the area’s 1929 railroad depot and are intended to preserve the neighborhood’s historic character.
Officials initially estimated construction could begin as early as fall 2025, but the project has faced setbacks. In 2023, federal reporting requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) changed, and additional archaeological testing was required due to the potential presence of Native American cultural artifacts beneath part of the project site.
As of early 2026, the district still needs roughly six months to complete its NEPA analysis, according to officials. If the Bridge District clears environmental reviews this year, the facility could open as soon as 2028.
The project is now expected to cost more than $80 million, up from previous estimates of $60 million to $65 million in 2024. Officials have attributed the increase to inflation in construction and property costs. In addition to the $25.6 million federal grant, the district anticipates using roughly $33 million in Regional Measure 3 bridge toll revenue to help fund the project.
The Bridge District serves as the lead environmental agency for the project, with the City of San Rafael, Marin Transit, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) and SMART serving as partners. Once NEPA clearance is obtained, the district plans to move forward with property appraisals and acquisitions, including the sale of the existing transit center parcel. The district has issued a request for proposals for a real estate appraisal and acquisition consultant.
Officials have indicated the district could consider contracts for final design in early 2027, with construction beginning the following year.
Image by Ada K from Pixabay
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
