Point Molate Bay Trail extension breaks ground in Richmond

Officials and community members gathered Friday at Point Molate Beach Park to celebrate the start of construction on a 2.5-mile extension of the San Francisco Bay Trail.

The new segment will connect the park to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and include a 600-foot boardwalk, interpretive panels on cultural and natural history, parking and restrooms, and a direct link to the existing bike and pedestrian path on the bridge. The project also calls for habitat restoration along the shoreline corridor.

Sean Dougan, the East Bay Regional Park District’s trails program manager, said the trail alignment follows the old Richmond Beltway rail corridor, which once delivered materials to Winehaven and the Navy fuel depot. Dougan said the design will preserve the historic rail lines while adapting them for public use.

East Bay Regional Park District Trails Program Manager Sean Dougan points out how the trail alignment follows the old Richmond Beltway rail corridor.

“We’re going to fill around the tracks with decomposed granite because we want to leave the tracks so people can see that history,” Dougan said. “There will be six interpretive panels telling the story of the area.”

The trail will run adjacent to the rails through the old industrial corridor, with vegetation cleared and crossings designed for safety, and the entire route will be ADA-compliant.

Park District Board Director Elizabeth Echols detailed the project’s scope, highlighting the collaborative effort among the Park District, the City of Richmond, and Chevron to construct adjoining sections of the Bay Trail along the San Pablo Peninsula. The route will connect the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Point Richmond, Point Molate Beach Park, and the historic Winehaven District.

“The project will provide new public access with an all-weather, multi-use trail that’s fully ADA compliant, along with parking, restrooms, and picnic areas at Point Molate Beach Park,” Echols said. “It also lays the groundwork for future access to public open space and unpaved trails. Hillside and bay shoreline habitats at several locations along the trail corridor will be restored and enhanced with native vegetation planted to restore coastal shrub, coastal prairie and other vegetation.”

Echols said the combined funding for the project is $13.1 million, with construction costs estimated at $8.6 million.

“This project is particularly significant to our community because it’s a first step in providing access to a truly iconic future regional park here at Point Molate,” Echols said. “It’s not just about building a trail, it’s about creating opportunities for everyone to enjoy the beauty and history of this special place.”

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez told the crowd, “Since I’ve been on the council, I’ve always seen Point Molate as one of the major parks of the East Bay. I’ve had visions of various organizations, government, nonprofits working together and finding some way to get money together so that we could do what they did at the Presidio here.”

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez said during his time on the council, he always envisioned Point Molate as a premier East Bay park. The mayor described possibilities for soccer fields, a cultural center, outdoor amphitheaters, and even a water taxi serving the shoreline.

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez speaks with cyclists prior to the event.

“What we need to do now as we’re building the trail is to continue to dream of the possibilities that we as a community can work together to realize,” Martinez said.

Chevron Corporate Affairs Manager Brian Hubinger said the company has been working with the Park District for more than a decade to help bring Bay Trail access through its property.

Chevron Corporate Affairs Manager Brian Hubinger and Nancy Skinner talk following the groundbreaking.

“We were partners with East Bay Parks for a decade now, working through easements and making sure we can identify where the access points are,” Hubinger said. “Public access is something important we want to support. It’s important to the Park District, it’s important to Richmond.”

Carlos Torres, outreach manager for a local cycling group, Rich City, said the project will help riders better navigate the shoreline.

“It’s important to us as an organization to know and understand all the paths we can take on our bikes here, for our health, for our community, for togetherness,” Torres said. “Our hope is that it makes the area more accessible to everyone, including people who need ADA access.”

The Bay Trail is a regional project that will eventually span 500 miles around San Francisco Bay. The Point Molate extension is one of several projects advancing the effort to complete the shoreline walking and cycling route.

Point Molate, once the site of a U.S. Navy fuel depot, has been the subject of decades of debate over development and public access. In recent years, the area has been the focus of restoration work and new recreation opportunities along Richmond’s shoreline.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM - SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Grandview Independent needs your financial support to continue delivering the news that matters to our community. Quality journalism costs money, and we can't do it without readers like you.

SUBSCRIBE NOW and get:
• Unlimited access to all articles
• Newsletters with exclusive content
• The satisfaction of backing independent local news that serves your community

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE - Starting at just $10/month

FOLLOW US FOR BREAKING NEWS:
• Twitter: @GrandviewIndy
• Instagram: @GrandviewIndependent
• Facebook: @Grandview Independent