Exciting News! A New Water Shuttle Service to Connect Oakland and Alameda

Starting July 17, a 34-person water shuttle will run daily between Jack London Square and the Alameda estuary at Bohol Circle Immigrant Park. Service will run from Wednesdays to Sundays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with shuttles leaving every 30 minutes during commute hours. Each trip across the estuary channel takes about 10 minutes.

The shuttle will be free to use and is being funded by a $1 million grant from the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, as well as $1.7 million from the port and other local agencies. The shuttle will run for two years, pending future funding.

Key Points:

• Shuttle runs daily from Jack London Square to Alameda estuary
• Free to use and funded by grants
• Operated by San Francisco Bay Ferry
• Fully ADA-accessible with wheelchair ramp

The Alameda Transportation Management Association, the Port of Oakland, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and the cities all worked together to bring this 45-foot shuttle—nicknamed Woodstock for its colorful yellow sheen—to life. The shuttle will be run by the San Francisco Bay Ferry, which also operates other ferries in the area.

Tommaso Boggia, a resident of the Jack London District, expressed excitement about the new shuttle, as it provides a cleaner option for crossing the estuary compared to the old tunnels. The shuttle could also serve to measure the demand for a larger estuary bridge project that has been in the works for years.

What do you think?

• Do you think the water shuttle will alleviate traffic in the area?
• Should more funding be allocated for sustainable transportation projects like this?
• Will the new shuttle impact local businesses positively or negatively?