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Redwood City
Ferry Terminal Project:
A Vision for the Future
About the Project
The Redwood City Ferry Terminal Project is a plan to create public ferry service to the mid-peninsula with Redwood City representing the southernmost hub for the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. This potential service would provide a new transportation alternative connecting the mid-peninsula to San Francisco and the East Bay, reduce automobile traffic, and enhance emergency preparedness for the movement of first responders and supplies by water after a catastrophic event.
The ferry terminal would be designed as an alternative transportation option for commuters, helping to remove single-occupancy vehicles from congested highways. Vessels serving the terminal would travel at speeds up to 34 knots with a travel time of approximately one hour to either San Francisco or the East Bay.
The ferry system would also serve as a key piece of the region’s emergency response infrastructure. After a major event, the ferry system will be relied upon to move first responders to affected areas and will serve as a means of evacuating or transporting victims or those affected by a major earthquake or other disaster.
The ferry system would also allow residents to plan pleasant recreational outings on the Bay to San Francisco or Oakland without having to worry about traffic delays or finding and paying for parking.
San Francisco Bay Ferry – operated by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) -- would provide scheduled origin service from Redwood City to San Francisco and destination service from both San Francisco and the East Bay to Redwood City. WETA’s system uses the Clipper Card payment system and connects to other public transit alternatives such as BART, Muni, Caltrain, SamTrans and AC Transit.
Ferry Terminal Project
Draft Environmental Impact Report
Notices
Notice of Availability (English)
Aviso de Disponibilidad (Spanish)
Draft Environmental Impact Report (full)
Sections:
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
3.1 Aesthetics
3.2 Air Quality
3.4 Cultural Resources and Tribal Cultural Resources
3.5 Energy
3.6 Geology, Soils, and Paleontological Resources
3.8 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
3.9 Hydrology and Water Quality
3.10 Land Use
3.11 Noise and Vibration
3.12 Public Services
3.13 Recreation
3.14 Transportation
3.15 Utilities and Service Systems
6. References
Appendices
A. Notice of Preparation and Initial Study
B. Air Quality, Greenhouse Gases, Energy Calculations, and Health Risk Assessment
C. Biological Resources Report
D. Cultural Resources Technical Report (Confidential)
G. Ship Wake and Morphology Assessment Report
H. Transportation Study Report
I. Noise Levels
Documents Incorporated by Reference and Cumulative Projection Planning Documents
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Bay Area Air Quality Management District - Final 2017 Clean Air Plan: Spare the Air, Cool the Climate, A Blueprint for Clean Air and Climate Protection in the Bay Area. Available here.
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City of Redwood City - 2025 Urban Water Management Plan for City of Redwood City. Available here
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City of Redwood City - 2023-2031 Housing Element, City of Redwood City. Available here
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Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments - Final Plan Bay Area 2050+ San Mateo County Factsheet. Available here
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Water Emergency Transportation Authority and U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region IX - Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion Project Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report. Available here
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Water Emergency Transportation Authority - Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the San Francisco Bay Water Emergency Transportation Authority Central Bay Operations and Maintenance Facility. Available here
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Water Emergency Transportation Authority (formerly Water Transit Authority) - Expansion of Ferry Transit Service in the San Francisco Bay Area Final Program Environmental Impact Report. Available here
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Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). March 2026. Plan Bay Area 2050+. Available here
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Port of Redwood City. January 8, 2020. Port of Redwood City 2020 Vision Plan. Prepared by Vickerman & Associates, LLC. Available here
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Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). May 9, 2024. 2050 Service Vision and Expansion Policy, adopted by WETA Board – Resolution 2024-19. Available here
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MTC and ABAG. March 2026. Plan Bay Area 2050+ Resilience Project List Report. Available here
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City of Redwood City. October 11, 2010. Redwood City General Plan. Available here
Future Amenities
The planned terminal would be constructed on the east end of the Port of Redwood City’s property, with access to the San Francisco Bay via the shipping channel. Waterside improvements would include a passenger float, piles, fixed pier and accessible gangway.
Landside improvements would include a parking lot, bus and shuttle drop-off lane/turnaround, bike storage, restrooms, and public access amenities such as walking trails, benches, picnic tables, etc., and opportunities for pop-up vendor carts.
Feasibility Study
Redwood City launched the wide-ranging feasibility study in 2019 with key assistance from WETA, which operates San Francisco Bay Ferry service. It included extensive public outreach and survey input.
The study focused on five key questions to determine feasibility of ferry service in Redwood City: ridership demand, infrastructure requirements, financial capacity, public benefit and the project’s consistency with existing plans. The study found that Redwood City ferry service met all five feasibility tests The Board of Port Commissioners and WETA Board of Directors accepted the study in November 2020. The Redwood City Council accepted the study in January 2021 and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority accepted it in March 2021.
You can read the full feasibility study and find additional information on the proposed project on the City of Redwood City’s website.