Huffman, Pelosi, Lee Announce Bay Area Ferry Service to Receive $22 Million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

November 30, 2023

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) announced that the San Francisco Bay Area is set to receive nearly $22 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation under President Joe Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This federal funding, which Congressman Huffman, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, and Congresswoman Lee championed, will help modernize the Bay Area’s ferry system by accelerating the San Francisco Bay Ferry’s transition to a zero-emission fleet and making the Golden Gate Ferry’s Sausalito terminal safer and more accessible for passengers.

“With the influx of funding thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Democrats’ appropriation bills, we are continuing to improve our outdated transportation and infrastructure sector. And for regions like the Bay Area, ferries are an important facet of the public transportation system that get high use from commuters and visitors alike,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “After years of advocating on behalf of these local programs, I’m excited to see them get these funds to revitalize the ferry fleet and give passengers a safer, more reliable, and greener mode of transportation.”

“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – passed by the Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden two years ago – seized an historic opportunity to strengthen our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and make lasting investments in San Francisco and communities across America,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said. “The federal Department of Transportation grants announced for San Francisco will improve the quality of life for Bay Area working families by modernizing our ferry system to be cleaner, safer and more reliable – while creating good-paying jobs for San Franciscans. Thanks to the visionary leadership of President Biden, America is back on track to have infrastructure that is the envy of the world.”

“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, coupled with Democratic appropriations investments, have greatly improved the Bay area’s infrastructure and transportation capabilities. This funding specifically will help modernize the Bay Area’s ferry system and make our terminals greener, safer, and more accessible. In a region with thousands who rely on the ferry as an essential commuting tool, this funding was critical to the functionality of our region’s economy. I’m pleased to have worked with my colleagues in the Bay Area delegation, Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Congressman Huffman, to secure this funding. We will continue advocating for investment in green, safe, reliable transit in our region,” Rep. Barbara Lee said.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Agency will receive $15.9 million to retrofit two of their existing ferry floats in the cities of Alameda and San Francisco by installing battery energy storage systems to improve reliability and air quality. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District will receive $6 million to revitalize the deteriorating passenger boarding system by installing a wider boarding platform and hydraulic gangplanks that extend to the vessels – providing safe and comfortable boarding access to passengers during all tide conditions.

Today’s announcement was made following letters of support for the projects from Congressman Huffman, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, and Congresswoman Lee to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in September. This funding was awarded to the Bay Area from the Federal Transit Administration’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program in a competitive national selection process.