“While disappointed Sausalito missed the opportunity to use over half a million dollars in available grant funds for an expert-recommended pilot now, a bigger concern is how the troubling safety data, highlighted by very recent incidents, was seemingly downplayed on March 29, 2025. Real safety on Bridgeway must remain the goal, but the path forward will now be frustratingly slower, more incremental, and funded on our own dime. The fight for a Better Bridgeway continues.”
— Better Bridgeway lead authors: Aaron Roller and Kieran Culligan
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.
Read more about Emergency Vehicle access.
“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.”
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, drivers passing unsafely or deliveries being unloaded in the center turn lane. Bridgeway can be safer.
The expert design that was shelved
A professional design provided by Parametrix proposed crosswalks, bike lanes and curbside management to reduce congestion and improve safety. The City Council shelved it in March 2025, but the design is finished and ready.
See the expert-recommended design.
Separating the traffic would give slower bicycles their own lane, so faster vehicles could pass in a legal driving lane. Emergency vehicles could pass unhindered, because drivers could pull into the bike lane and leave two lanes for first responders.
The bike lane would also add a buffer between vehicles and pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Crosswalks with Rapid Flashing Beacons give pedestrians a designated, safer place to cross. See Golden Gate Market for the updated crosswalk proposed at Richardson and 2nd. The city is now studying crosswalks on their own, slowly.
Curbside management would return loading zones to the curb, while short-term and regular parking spaces remain.
