The Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion is a flagship project for the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). It represents WETA's largest undertaking to date and plays a pivotal role in their region-wide ferry system buildout. This expansion was in response to the growing demand for water-based transportation and the need for water transit readiness in the event of a regional disaster.
The project’s location along San Francisco’s Embarcadero presented a number of logistical challenges that were overcome including the requirement to maintain active ferry service with 130 arrivals and departures each day, avoid impacts to pedestrian and vehicle traffic along the San Francisco waterfront, and comply with an array of environmental regulatory requirements.
Phase 1 included demolition of a 25,000 square-foot pier, dredging of 2.5-acres, and driving 153 new steel piles for the foundation of a new concrete structure. Phase 2 involved over-water construction of a 35,000 square-foot, cast-in-place reinforced concrete wharf to connect the public to the ferries and provide ADA compliant queuing areas. The public areas are complete with railings, weather protection canopies, and a pedestrian bridge. Cantilevered landings marry the concrete structure with the three (3) ferry landings made up of steel gangways and floats with hydraulic passenger loading platforms. The concrete deck and floats are fully tied into land with utilities including power, water, fire suppression, terminal lighting, and communications.
This 60,000 square-foot expansion of the WETA Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal has tripled ferry service capacity and features a beautiful new over-water promenade and public plaza, which also serves as a designated emergency staging area in case of a regional disaster. The terminal serves as a testament to collaboration, perseverance, and forward-thinking in the marine construction and transportation industry, leaving a lasting legacy in the Bay Area.
"Overall and specifically when it came to quality, schedule, cost control, and management, Power truly performed exceptionally on this project. They are professional, experienced, qualified, and deliver personable, customer-focused service to their clients. The Downtown Ferry Terminal Expansion project was an extremely complex and high-value project in a very challenging site that posed numerous challenges. Power was flexible, fair, and successful in navigating these challenges and delivering on a project that the client and its partners are extremely satisfied with and proud of. I would not hesitate to hire Power again to construct future projects, large or small, simple or complex."
-- Michael Gougherty, Principal Planner, Water Emergency Transportation Authority
Power Engineering Construction Co.
1501 Viking St. Ste 200
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: (510) 337-3800