Zócalo's Connecting California
A golden opportunity for mass transit
There's a gap as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge in California's commuter rail network. In fact, the gap is the Golden Gate. Perhaps it's time to build rail tracks on the bridge.
By Joe Mathews • • 4m ListenPreservationists will cringe, but Joe Mathews says the time is right to finally establish a rail connection between San Francisco and Marin County – right across the Golden Gate Bridge. Two major rail projects are underway on either side of the bridge. The lack of connection at the Golden Gate, however, will prevent those systems from meeting their promise and helping to deliver Bay Area residents from gridlock. The bridge is a national icon, but Mathews says a train would not be any less reverential than six lanes of cars.
Photo: Artist's rendering of BART on the Golden Gate Bridge. (Bay Area Rapid Transit)