Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District

Transit Planning. Community Engagement for Transit Improvements from Planning through EIR

Addressing Local and Regional Needs for Increased Ferry Service and Improved Bus Service Facilities 

Background

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD) is addressing growing demands for ferry service from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and calls to relocate and improve the San Rafael Transit Center, a key regional bus hub for Marin County. Civic Edge was brought on board to lead comprehensive community engagement efforts for both projects from conception through CEQA analysis, ensuring community concerns are heard and addressed through the alternatives development and environmental evaluation processes.

Larkspur Ferry Service Expansion and Parking Study

For the Larkspur Ferry Study, Civic Edge developed a public engagement strategy to address community concerns about increased traffic congestion, environmental impacts, and ferry wakes. The team conducted interviews with targeted audiences and hosted two open houses and a CEQA scoping meeting to gather feedback, supplemented by ongoing updates across digital platforms. The project is now in the environmental analysis and review stage.

San Rafael Transit Center

For the San Rafael Transit Center relocation project, Civic Edge partnered with project lead Kimley Horn to conduct multiple rounds of community outreach over the course of five years. This included engaging with key audiences on the project’s alternatives and gathering input on the architectural design and amenities and creating a Design Alternatives Committee staffed by community members. Leading with equitable engagement, we partnered with local organizations like Canal Alliance to ensure bilingual outreach, including text message campaigns and Facebook Live events in Spanish.  The Final EIR was unanimously approved by the Bridge District Board of Directors, and the project is now under NEPA review.

Our Impact

Civic Edge’s efforts ensured that both projects incorporated meaningful community input. The Larkspur Ferry Expansion project has benefited from broad-based engagement, informing both the alternative selection and environmental review. The San Rafael Transit Center project prioritized equity by ensuring underrepresented communities had their voices heard, leading to a more inclusive design and planning process, and an approved final Environmental Impact Report.

Project Expertise

  • Strategic communications and multilingual outreach
  • Digital engagement and community feedback collection
  • Equity-focused outreach strategies, including partnerships with local organizations
  • In-person and virtual community events
  • Community collaboration and CEQA planning