COUNCIL EXPLORES WAYS TO FUND EXPANDED FERRY SERVICE

There’s plenty of water and plenty of potential riders. But expanding ferry service to help beat Bay Area traffic will also require funding. The Bay Area Council’s Water Transit Subcommittee, led by Co-Chairs Monique Moyer (Executive Director, Port of San Francisco) and Kevin Mathy (Transportation Manager, Facebook), convened this week to explore funding and financing options for expanded ferry service with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

The Water Emergency Transportation Authority, the Bay Area’s only regional ferry operator, derives most of its funding from bridge toll revenue. Those revenues are administered annually by MTC, but they currently are dedicated to supporting existing service. The subcommittee discussed ways to fund expanded service, including through a possible regional ballot measure to increase bridge tolls and prioritizing ferry funding among other transit services.

The subcommittee also heard two presentations about exciting new propulsion technologies from Siemens and Wind+Wing that enhance the fuel efficiency and environmental sustainability of ferries, while also driving down operating costs.

To engage in the Council’s Water Transit work, please contact Policy Manager Emily Loper.