A newly adopted Marin County transit plan recommends better bicycle parking, real-time transit information and a passenger pickup area at San Rafael’s Marin Civic Center SMART station. The recommendations provide a framework for future projects, rather than announcing funded construction.

The Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) board voted unanimously on Sept. 24 to adopt the Marin County Mobility Hub Plan, a document mapping potential upgrades for the county’s three ferry terminals and six SMART rail stations, according to an Oct. 1 Marin Independent Journal report published by the Press Democrat.

TAM produced the plan with a $400,000 grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

Separately, MTC’s transit-oriented communities incentive program requires a jurisdiction-wide average score of at least 85 out of 100 and a July 1, 2027, submission deadline. Its standards cover development density, housing, parking and transit access.

At a TAM committee meeting in May, staff discussed potential funding for San Rafael and Novato, according to TAM meeting records. The funds would support eligible transportation projects and would not necessarily need to be located at a station.

Qualifying jurisdictions must still submit project applications for MTC consideration, according to the program guidelines.

The plan lays out site-specific projects in San Rafael. At the Marin Civic Center SMART station, it recommends relocating bikeshare and bike racks, installing real-time transit signs at the Civic Center Drive bus stop, adding new landscaping along Civic Center Drive and creating a pickup and drop-off area on Merrydale Road.

Recommendations at various locations include high-visibility crosswalks, curb bulb-outs, bike ramps, bus shelters, e-bike charging and Wi-Fi.

San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin, who chairs the TAM board, told the Marin Independent Journal the plan “gives us a thoughtful planning framework for each location.” Colin said each hub has its own constraints and opportunities, and the plan brings transit, walking, biking, access and safety factors together for coordinated decisions.

Derek McGill, TAM director of planning, told the newspaper that adopting the plan positions the county to fine-tune projects with each city and pursue grant funding. The next step is seeking approval from each jurisdiction named in the plan. That could mean cities formally adopt the document or fold its recommendations into their capital improvement programs.

Residents can find information about the proposed improvements on TAM’s mobility hub plan page.