Crosswalks, bike lanes and curbside delivery make a Better Bridgeway.

1970’s: Bridgeway had an Emergency Vehicle Lane

The Emergency Vehicle Lane, enacted by Sausalito City Council in 1965, provided a safe passage for first responders to reach old town without being blocked by the dense vehicle traffic common at the time. Proper infrastructure like a raised median, curbside loading zones and signage along with enforcement kept the median clear of obstructions.

Since then, curbside loading zones have been completely removed, the center lane is full of ambiguity, and unsafe behavior is rampant. Read more about the History of the Median.

Bridgeway can be Better with a new design

The Emergency Vehicle Lane was replaced with Today’s Chaos

In 1986, the raised median was leveled and painted as the center turn lane that you see today. Trucks and cars park in the center lane blocking Emergency Vehicles from using the historic emergency vehicle lane. Drivers and bicycles pass slower moving bicycles, using the center lane in both directions increasing the chance of head-on collisions. Pedestrians use the median for refuge when crossing the street, but cars are driving in the center lane. Congestion and chaos results in a statistically unsafe road.

Read more about how the History of the Median and how the Center Turn Lane is for Left Turns Only.

Emergency Vehicles can’t use the center lane.

Some residents claim emergency services need to use the center lane to reach Old Town, but the center lane is blocked by parked vehicles.

A very narrow clearance for these first responders to squeeze between the delivery trucks and the dining parklets.

“Emergency Services are confident that any reconfiguration that retains the street’s curb-to-curb width, such as repurposing the center lane (two-way left turn lane), will not hinder emergency circulation along this section of Bridgeway. ”

— Draft Staff Report - March 29th 2025

Read more about Emergency Vehicle access.

There cannot be an Emergency Vehicle Lane without Commercial Loading Zones.

In the 1970’s, the commercial loading zones were placed along the curb. This provides safe unloading access for the delivery workers and reduces congestion caused by parked vehicles in the center lane.

Historic curbside loading was removed.

Read more about how Curbside Delivery can help reduce congestion and improve Emergency Vehicle Access.

Unlawful Center Lane Parking and Passing

Center Left Turn lanes are only for making left turns. Parking and passing in the center lane is unlawful. Read more.

The video shows how Bridgeway looks with a real Emergency Vehicle Lane that does not allow parking or passing, like in the 1970’s.

Things have changed since the 1970’s

Vehicle traffic has decreased
Bicycle traffic has increased
Road designs have improved
Bike Lanes have proliferated
Planet Earth is 1°C warmer

Bike Lanes Improve Circulation

Congestion is one of Sausalito residents major concerns. As we see in the historic photos, congestion is not new to Sausalito. We have a lovely place we call home so people from around the world come to enjoy its unique offering.

Fortunately now tourists come by ferry, bus and bicycle instead of only car.

Bike Lanes provide a separate space for bicycles moving at a slower speed allowing motor vehicles to drive in the vehicle lane at or near the speed limit. Read more about how bike lanes improve circulation.

Safety Is Top Priority

Bridgeway has 3 sections on Marin’s High Collision Network. More than statistics, Bridgeway feels unsafe. From children riding to school, elderly crossing the street, driver’s passing unsafely or deliveries being unloaded in the center turn lane. Bridgeway can be safer.

Crosswalks, bike lanes and curbside delivery would make a Better Bridgeway.

A professional design provided by Parametrix proposes crosswalks, bike lanes and curbside management as a solution to reducing congestion while improving safety.

See the expert-recommended proposal.

Separating the traffic provides a dedicated lane for slower bicycles to ride allowing faster vehicles to pass in a legal driving lane. Emergency vehicles pass unhindered since vehicles can pull into the bike lane leaving two lanes for first responders to drive.

The bike lane provides a buffer between vehicles in the lane and pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Crosswalks with Rapid Flashing Beacons provide designated space for pedestrians to cross the street in a safer manner. See Golden Gate Market for the updated crosswalk proposed at Richardson and 2nd.

Curbside management returns the loading zones to the curb. Short term parking and regular spaces continue to provide space.

Considerations

Emergency vehicles (particularly Police and Fire) need to be able to move through Bridgeway without getting stuck in traffic
Delivery vehicles need a safe place to temporarily stop within a reasonable distance of their delivery point. Delivery drivers should also be able to safely cross lanes of traffic, if required.
Pedestrians should be able to conveniently and safely cross Bridgeway, improving the status quo which has no marked crosswalks between Princess St and Main St.
Bicycle riders of all ability levels should be able to navigate Bridgeway in both directions without fear
Residents should be able to turn in and out of their driveways with minimal delay. Resident parking should remain with minimal impact or be improved to the extent possible
Item description
Curbside parking should retained and be made available to the extent practical for all types of users: residents, visitors, pick-up, delivery, etc.
The aesthetics of the roadways and its surroundings should complement the stunning seaside backdrop and not take away from the beautiful setting.