By
Rebecca Gibson |
Treasure Island, an artificial island located in the centre of San Francisco Bay, is launching a new ferry service operated by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). The service, which is earmarked for opening between 2013/15, is the largest new ferry route being planned in the US and is designed to make travel to and from the island easier in an environmentally friendly way.
Projections for ferry ridership are as high as 10,000 passengers per day when the planned redevelopments of the island are complete. The entire development of Treasure Island has actually been created around the idea of a transportation hub at the new ferry terminal. The development plans include 8,000 new residential units,
500 hotel rooms in three hotels, a 400-slip marina, restaurants, office space, retail and entertainment venues, as well as nearly 300 acres of parks and open space.
Global infrastructure advisors Moffatt & Nichol has led the maritime and ferry related aspects of the project and has completed all preliminary designs. By 2012, it is anticipated that the environmental review will be complete and design and construction of the new ferry terminals and ferry vessels will be in full swing. To meet strict air quality standards in California and imposed by the WETA Board, dieselelectric hybrid propulsion systems have been studied along with more conventional after treatment strategies.
The new terminal is located directly across from downtown San Francisco, and a companion terminal will be built by WETA at the San Francisco ferry terminal. Moffatt & Nichol has performed all ferry operations and cost analysis for the new route and developed concept plans for the accompanying San Francisco ferry terminal.
The Treasure Island terminal, which will be exposed to wind and weather entering San Francisco Bay, will have its own breakwater protected harbour. Moffatt & Nichol’s design of the new terminal will provide two ferry slips to allow frequent departures during busy commuter times, with departures separated by as little as fifteen minutes. The terminal building is being designed by global architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and will provide access to the ferries.