{"id":461873,"date":"2026-09-12T19:02:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T19:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/461873\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T19:02:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T19:02:13","slug":"bay-skyway-to-connect-bay-bridge-east-span-path-to-treasure-island-san-francisco-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/461873\/","title":{"rendered":"Bay Skyway to connect Bay Bridge East Span Path to Treasure Island, San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Rendering of the planned Bay Skyway for the western span of the Bay Bridge. Source: MTC<\/p>\n

A New Way to Cross the Bay<\/p>\n

By Gavin Lohry, Bay Skyway Program Coordinator, Metropolitan Transportation Commission<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A team is working to extend both ends of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Path into a broader network called the \u201cBay Skyway\u201d that will link Oakland and the greater East Bay with Treasure Island and downtown San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Every year, thousands of residents and visitors enjoy the path on the\u00a0East Span of the Bay Bridge<\/a>, a 15-foot-wide walking and biking path with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay. The path joins Berkeley and Emeryville with Yerba Buena Island with a bus connection and private ferry service to downtown San Francisco. The Bay Skyway project will extend the path in both directions, linking Oakland and the greater East Bay with Treasure Island and downtown San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Building the Complete Bay Bridge Path<\/p>\n

Creating the complete car-free path between San Francisco and the East Bay will take several significant steps.<\/p>\n

Work on the first piece of the puzzle \u2013 known as the Multimodal Bay Skyway \u2013 is already underway and expected to be complete by 2031. It will connect the West Oakland Community all the way to Treasure Island. This part of the project is called multimodal because the final connection for the full journey to San Francisco will require taking transit (bus or ferry) from Treasure Island to downtown San Francisco.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The second piece of the puzzle \u2013 a bicycle\/pedestrian path on the West Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge \u2013 is in the early planning stages.<\/p>\n

About the Bay Skyway<\/p>\n

The Multimodal Bay Skyway is made up of two key projects\u2014the Full West Oakland Link and the Full Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway\u2014which together will extend both ends of the existing\u00a0San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Path<\/a>. Both projects are currently in the design phase with initial segments planned to open by 2029.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0West Oakland Link<\/a>\u00a0will extend the east end of the East Span path\u00a0further to the east by constructing the missing connection to West Oakland, connecting with planned protected bike lanes on\u00a0Grand Avenue to Downtown Oakland.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway will extend the East Span path west to the Treasure Island intermodal hub. From there, travelers will be able to take a ferry or expedited bus into downtown San Francisco.<\/p>\n

The electric ferry will connect Treasure Island and the San Francisco Ferry Building, with plans to extend service to Mission Bay in the future. Frequent electric ferry service intervals of 15-minute are not expected until 2030 or later.<\/p>\n

Buses will operate on a new one-way bus-only lane and on ramp between Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge West Span that will decrease bus travel time to downtown San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: MTC<\/p>\n

Part of Bay Trail<\/p>\n

The Bay Skyway is a critical section of the\u00a0San Francisco Bay Trail<\/a>\u00a0which, when complete, will give hikers, joggers, bicyclists, skaters and wheelchair users access to more than 500 miles of trails encircling the bay. With the rapid adoption of electric bicycles (e-bikes), the Bay Skyway will also provide an alternative for Bay Area residents to cross the Bay without adding to roadway or transit congestion.<\/p>\n

Benefits<\/p>\n

Sustainability:\u00a0Adds a new sustainable and low-cost\u00a0travel mode along\u00a0the Bay Bridge corridor, increasing capacity without increasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution. By connecting a Transbay pathway with an electric ferry network, the project supports car-free development and enables new Treasure Island residents to establish sustainable transportation options starting on move-in day.<\/p>\n

Access:\u00a0Provides a connection for bicycle\/e-bike\/micromobility\u00a0users going between San Francisco and Oakland, which are\u00a0two cities with the lowest car ownership rates in California. It also provides 20,000 future residents of Treasure Island with improved transit and bicycle access to the East Bay and regional rail such as BART, Capitol Corridor and Amtrak.<\/p>\n

Equity Priority Communities:\u00a0The Bay Skyway will provide access to high-quality jobs\u00a0at the Port of Oakland\u00a0and in downtown San Francisco, while providing\u00a0an affordable transportation option for residents of equity priority communities on both sides of the Bay.<\/p>\n

Car-Free Housing:\u00a0In the next decade, significant housing developments are planned in the areas around downtown San Francisco and adjacent to the Multimodal Bay Skyway. Projects include 8,000 units on Treasure Island, 5,000 in West Oakland and 29,000 in downtown Oakland, including thousands of affordable homes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Part of Plan Bay Area 2050+<\/p>\n

The Bay Skyway is included in\u00a0Plan Bay Area 2050+<\/a>\u00a0as part of the \u201cBuild Complete Streets Network\u201d strategy to promote walking, biking and small electric micromobility vehicles (such as e-scooters) throughout the Bay Area.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: MTC<\/p>\n

Partnership<\/p>\n

MTC, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), Caltrans District 4, San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency (TIMMA), Alameda County Transportation Commission and San Francisco Bay Ferry are working on several projects in two phases to extend the path and connect downtown San Francisco and the East Bay.<\/p>\n

Phase One<\/p>\n

As of March 2026, about $100 million has been secured by MTC and SFCTA\u00a0to construct the interim Multimodal Bay Skyway projects that include the interim West Oakland Link, the interim Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway and electric ferry charging infrastructure. The full buildout of the West Oakland Link and Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway will be completed when funding is secured.<\/p>\n

Timeline<\/p>\n

The Interim West Oakland Link (WOL) is in the detailed design phase with construction on the westernmost portion. In the near term, the project will rely on another MTC project \u2014\u00a0Bay Bridge Forward West Grand Avenue Bus and High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Phase 2\u00a0<\/a>\u2014 to provide access sooner.\u00a0The Bay Bridge Forward project includes the construction of a pedestrian and bicycle path connecting the\u00a0eastern end of the WOL\u2019s western touchdown and the West Grand Avenue\/Mandela Parkway intersection.\u00a0Construction of the Bay Bridge Forward path is expected to start and be completed in 2027. This path will not be impacted during the construction of the remaining portions of the interim WOL, which is anticipated to be completed by 2029. The full West Oakland Link will be constructed once funding is secured.<\/p>\n

The Interim Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway (Interim YBI MUP) is currently under construction, expected to be complete in 2028, except for one section that includes a spiral loop ramp designed to connect the East Path landing with the Full YBI MUP.\u00a0 Until funding is secured for the spiral loop ramp, westbound bicyclists will continue to use Macalla Road on improved protected bike lanes. Eastbound bicyclists will use the interim YBI MUP and a temporary connector at the location where the spiral loop ramp will be. Pedestrians will continue to use Macalla Road in both directions until the spiral loop ramp is built.<\/p>\n

Electric ferry service is planned to begin in 2027 with connections to downtown San Francisco, and future service to Mission Bay is expected.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: MTC<\/p>\n

Multimodal Bay Skyway Phase Two: Bay Bridge West Span<\/p>\n

Bay Bridge West Span Path: Project Overview<\/p>\n

The Bay Skyway\u00a0Phase Two project will construct a bicycle and pedestrian pathway on the Bay Bridge West Span, which will allow a continuous route to walk, bike and e-bike between the East Bay and downtown San Francisco. The path will have the capacity to carry 7,500 bicycle trips and 4,500 people walking per hour across the Bay. \u00a0This project will build upon the infrastructure developed through the Multimodal Bay Skyway, connecting the West Span path to thousands of new residents on Treasure Island, the existing Bay Bridge East Span path, and into Oakland via the West Oakland Link. The next major milestone is completing the State and Federal environmental analyses, which can be finalized as early as 2027.<\/p>\n

The Bay Skyway will help shift transbay trips to biking, e-biking and other micromobility options. This will reduce congestion in the transbay corridor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution while providing low-cost transportation options for Bay Area residents.<\/p>\n

West Span Path Design<\/p>\n

In 2018,\u00a0alternative designs<\/a>\u00a0for a path on the Bay Bridge West Span were first presented to the public. As a result of this outreach and professional judgment, a design was chosen for a path on the north side of the bridge. This path will touch down on Essex Street in downtown San Francisco and on Yerba Buena Island, where it will connect to Treasure Island to the existing Bay Bridge East Span path via the Yerba Buena Island Multi-Use Pathway.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: MTC<\/p>\n

Funding Challenges<\/p>\n

The biggest challenge for the West Span Path project is securing funding. The cost is expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and no funding sources have been identified yet. State and Federal environmental analysis, the next step in the Phase 2 project, may be completed in 2027. If funding is secured, Phase 2 of the project could be completed as early as 2034.<\/p>\n

Design Challenges<\/p>\n

To move forward, the project must address several design issues including: safety during earthquakes, withstanding strong winds, providing access for maintenance crews, and maintaining enough clearance for shipping traffic.<\/p>\n

Watch the video<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about the proposed West Span Path.<\/p>\n

Take the Survey: Multimodal Bay Skyway Survey<\/a><\/p>\n

Sign up for the Bay Skyway mailing list.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

the attachments to this post:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a>
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Bay Skyway West Span Path Design<\/p>\n

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Interim Multi-Modal Bay Skyway map<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a>
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Recommended Design<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a>
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Bay Skyway West Path SF view rendering<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a>
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West Span Pathway art<\/p>\n

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Bay Skyway western<\/p>\n

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This entry was posted on Saturday, September 12th, 2026 at 9:15 am and is filed under Community<\/a>. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0<\/a> feed. You can leave a response<\/a>, or trackback<\/a> from your own site.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rendering of the planned Bay Skyway for the western span of the Bay Bridge. Source: MTC A New…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":461874,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[143,145,144],"class_list":["post-461873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=461873"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461873\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/461874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=461873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=461873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=461873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}