Berkeley Pier with Ferry Access Project

The Department of Parks, Recreation & Waterfront is proposing that the City Council adopt a resolution certifying the Berkeley Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project Environmental Impact Report and adopt a resolution approving the Berkeley Water Transportation Pier-Ferry Project and its Use Permit on November 17, 2026.

Notice of Public Hearing – Berkely Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project Environmental Impact Report, Project Approval and Use Permit

The Final Berkeley Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project Environmental Impact Report is available below. The City has published an updated Parking Management Implementation Plan (November 2026) and Final Parking and TDM Plan and Addendum (September 2026), both available under “Documents” below.

Environmental Impact Report

Public review of the Draft Environmental Impact Report concluded on April 28, 2026. The Final Environmental Impact Report is available below. 

• Berkeley Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project – Final EIR 
• Berkeley Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project - Updated Notice of Availability
• Berkeley Water Transportation Pier Ferry Project Notice of Completion 
• Draft Water Transportation Berkeley Pier Ferry Environmental Impact Report 
• Draft Water Transportation Berkeley Pier Ferry EIR Appendix Volume 1 
• Draft Water Transportation Berkeley Pier Ferry EIR Appendix Volume 2 

The Administrative Record for this project is available to view online. The Draft EIR incorporates by reference the Final Program Environmental Impact Report for the Expansion of Ferry Transit Service in the San Francisco Bay Area (WETA Program EIR, 2003).

To view a copy of Chapter 7 of Division 13 of the Public Resources Code, visit the California Legislative Information website.

Public Engagement Process

Since beginning the feasibility phase in 2021, the City has held more than 60 public outreach events to gather input from the public and stakeholders on the project.  

During the feasibility phase in 2021, the City held:

• Three focus groups
• Three community workshops
• An online public survey
• Two City Council work sessions

During the design phase (2024 - current), the City:

• Conducted seven in-person parking surveys of Waterfront visitors, collecting 455 responses.
• Held more than 20 focus group meetings with community, business, environmental, and recreation groups, including three meetings with board sailors and swimmers regarding access at the Seawall Peninsula.
• Presented the project to the Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Commission at least five times, as well as to the Transportation & Infrastructure Commission, the Facilities, Infrastructure, Transportation, Environmental & Sustainability Policy Committee, the Youth Commission, BCDC’s Design Review Board and BCDC’s Engineering Criteria Review Board.  

In May 2026, the City published the Draft Parking Management Implementation Plan and invited more than 150 members of the public, stakeholders, and regulators to comment. 

The City also: 

• Conducted targeted outreach to commercial and charter boat operators
• Held three focus group meetings with commercial tenants, slipholders, and Waterfront recreation organizations
• Held two public meetings: 
  • One online meeting
  • One meeting at the July 2026 Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Commission meeting

The most recent version of this Plan is available below under the "Design & Environmental Phase" section.

Public feedback has meaningfully informed the design of the Project from the feasibility stage continuing through detailed design, including the location and configuration of the pier, location and configuration of the ferry landing and ferry operations, plaza design and amenities, access and circulation improvements to the roadways and pathways, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, improvements to amenities for both shoreline and in-water recreation visitors, incorporation of public art, and parking management measures.   

• Pier-Ferry Public Outreach Summary

Consultant Team

• COWI – Prime Design Consultant, Structural, Coastal
• NCE – Civil Engineer
• CDM Smith – Civil Engineer
• Robin Chiang – Architecture
• ENGEO – Geotechnical
• YEI – Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineer
• Aurora – Electrification (waterside)
• Arup – Electrification (landside)
• ETrac – Topographic and Hydrographic Surveys
• Pacific EcoRisk – Sediment Sampling and Dredge Disposal
• Herbert – Naval Architecture
• BK Cooper – Cost Estimating
• Rincon – Prime Environmental Consultant, CEQA, Permitting
• Kittleson – Parking and Transportation
• WRA – Regulatory Permitting, Biological Resources
• Brad McCrea – BCDC Permitting

Project History

Design & Environmental Phase (In Progress)

The project is currently in the Design/Environmental phase. The City is collaborating with WETA on the detailed design, environmental analysis, and permitting for the project. 

In 2023, the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded the City grant funding to complete the Design/Environmental phase of the project. In 2024, the City and WETA amended the MOU to cover the current Design/Environmental phase. WETA has also allocated funds for this phase. This work is underway and is expected to be completed in 2027.

The City presented project updates to City Council members, the WETA Board, and to over a dozen local community groups as part of the public engagement process of this phase. 

Documents:

• Berkeley Water Transportation Pier-Ferry Project Parking Management Implementation Plan, November 2026
• Final Water Transportation Pier-Ferry Project Parking and TDM Plan
• Final Water Transportation Pier-Ferry Project Parking and TDM Plan Addendum
• Amendment of the MOU between City of Berkeley and WETA
• NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT & EIR SCOPING MEETING, MAY 2025
• PARKING & TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION TO PRW COMMISSION MARCH, 2025

Feasibility Phase (Complete)

The City has completed the Pier and Ferry Feasibility Study, which evaluated the feasibility of rebuilding the Berkeley Municipal Pier as a dual-purpose pier that provides recreational access and an electric ferry service. The study was funded by the City of Berkeley through Measure T1 and by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). 

The study included over a year of public process that resulted in a preferred project concept, which was presented to the Berkeley City Council in December 2021 and the WETA Board in April 2022.

The Pier and Ferry Feasibility Study gathered extensive community feedback through four focus groups in early January 2021 and three large community workshops on January 21, August 10, and October 27, 2021. An online questionnaire for the project was conducted from March 22 to June 6, 2021. 

The community feedback was used to develop a preferred concept for the project. The preferred concept was presented to the City Council in December 2021 and the WETA Board in April 2022.

Reports, presentation slides, and other documents related to the public engagement process can be found below.

Documents:

• Berkeley Municipal Pier Study Project Summary
• Ferry Terminal Facility Feasibility Study - Berkeley Municipal Pier
• Pier-Ferry Community Feedback
• Pier-Ferry Council Report - Approval of WETA and City Council MOU
• Pier-Ferry Council Work Session Report of the Preferred Concept
• Pier-Ferry Questionnaire #1 Results Summary, October 2021
• Pier-Ferry Study FAQ

Pier Closure and Background Information

The Berkeley Municipal Pier was closed in July 2015 due to structural problems on the underside of the concrete decking and pilings. In 2017, the City retained structural engineering firm GHD to assess the problem and develop a range of potential solutions and cost estimates. 

In 2018, WETA staff initiated discussions with City staff about the possibility of a new ferry service at the Berkeley Waterfront. In 2019, WETA and the City Council authorized a Memorandum of Understanding Agreement (MOU) to jointly fund a planning study on the feasibility of rebuilding the Berkeley Pier for ferry service and recreational access. 

Documents:

• Berkeley Pier Structural Assessment Final
• Municipal Pier Renovation Alternatives
• Sea Level Rise Assessment Study
• Small-scale Ferry Feasibility Study