San Rafael approves purchase of boat yard for Canal bridge project
July 1, 2025
By Adrian Rodriguez | arodriguez@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
PUBLISHED: June 29, 2025 at 1:07 PM PDT
A San Rafael boat sales and storage yard could become a new city park and serve as the base of a long-planned bridge linking the Canal neighborhood to Third Street.
The City Council has authorized a $3.35 million purchase agreement with the Anthony Cavallo Trust for the 1.65-acre lot. The property is at 620 Canal St. on the San Rafael Creek.
“This is a really big deal for the city and for the community,” City Manager Cristine Alilovich said at the June 23 council meeting. “This project represents a very unique opportunity to manifest a long-term community vision.”
The bridge for pedestrians and cyclists was first proposed in a community transportation plan that was approved by the city in 2006. The project was proposed as a way to provide a better connection for residents of the Canal neighborhood to the Montecito Shopping Center, San Rafael High School and San Pedro Elementary School.
The only route for cyclists and pedestrians to get from the neighborhood to such sites is Francisco Boulevard East to the Grand Avenue bridge, which for some adds 20 minutes of travel time.
“This long-awaited project, prioritized by Canal families and community leaders for decades, represents more than a park or bridge. It’s a lifeline,” said Omar Carrera, chief executive officer of Canal Alliance.
“It will strengthen emergency preparedness, improve daily connectivity to schools, jobs and transit, and create a vital space for health and belonging,” he said.
In 2022, the city adopted an updated transportation plan that identified the bridge as one of 11 projects to pursue as part of a five-year strategy.
In January, the city announced it received a $1.575 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to conduct a study and preliminary design of the bridge.
The bridge must allow for boats to traverse the creek. The feasibility study would identify and compare potential bridge options, costs and impacts, according to the plan.
The feasibility study is expected to be completed by July 2028, giving staff a better idea of the cost and if such a bridge project is possible. If it is feasible, staff will seek funding, officials said.
The city estimates the project would cost around $25 million and take several years to complete.
“While any future crossing would require significant planning and funding, the park itself would be a meaningful step forward for the neighborhood,” Mayor Kate Colin said.
The City Council’s 4-0 vote authorized city staff to finalize a grant agreement with Marin County for $1.15 million of Measure A funds to acquire the property.
The grant is scheduled to be considered by the county Board of Supervisors in July. If the board approves, the expenditure of the funds would require that the site be permanently used as a public park.
The City Council also committed $500,000 of city funds to support the purchase.
The property acquisition is being led by the Trust for Public Lands, a nonprofit organization that is collecting donations to fill the funding gap. The organization has pledged $1.7 million, according to a city staff report.
“The level of cooperation is a testament to San Rafael’s leadership and to the city’s longstanding relationship with the Canal Alliance and Canal residents,” said Erica Williams, a project manager with the Trust for Public Land.
The property is occupied by Hi-Tide Boat Sales and Service, whose proprietor Anthony Cavallo died in 2023 at the age of 80. A representative for the Anthony Cavallo Trust could not be reached for comment.
