620 Canal Street is 1.65 acres of land located along the southern edge of the Canal at the end of Canal Street northwest of Harbor Street. Formerly a commercial boatyard, the property was acquired by the City in 2025 through a partnership between the City, the Trust for Public Land, the County of Marin, and the Canal Alliance. The property has been identified as an ideal site for a waterfront park and possible location for the southern landing of a pedestrian and bicycle bridge between the Canal Neighborhood and destinations north of San Rafael Creek.
Project Background
A pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting the Canal Neighborhood to San Rafael High, Montecito Shopping Center, San Pedro Elementary School, the Transit Center, and other destinations on Central San Rafael has been a longstanding community priority. This goal has been most recently articulated in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (2018), the Downtown Precise Plan (2021), and City Council’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan.
Currently, the only way for Canal residents to walk or bike to these locations is by walking on Francisco Boulevard East to the Grand Avenue Bridge. This route is lengthy for bicyclists and pedestrians and can add up to a mile (or 20 minutes) to the trip to Third Street destinations including schools, shops, restaurants, and community services. The proposed bridge would improve connectivity to schools, jobs, and transit; enhancing economic vitality, community connection, and access to vital resources.
The County’s Measure A program contributed $1.35M to the purchase of the property, ensuring that the site will be developed for park and recreation purposes. 620 Canal is ideally suited for transformation into an outdoor community gathering space and recreational gateway to the Canal and San Francisco Bay. Residents have long recognized the need for more public parks, plazas, walkways, and recreational amenities in the Canal neighborhood. Both the City’s 2009 Canalfront Conceptual Design Plan and its 2023 Parks and Recreation Master Plan incorporate community recommendations for such amenities.
What’s Next:
In 2026, the City is launching a feasibility assessment for the pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The feasibility study report will identify and compare potential bridge options, provide a conceptual plan, identify potential environmental impacts, present preliminary engineering considerations, and estimate costs for construction, ongoing operation, and maintenance of a moveable bridge.
For more information on the Canal bridge, view the project webpage.
While the longer-term planning for a future park and bridge will take time, the City’s ownership of this property makes it more competitive for future grants that can support these future improvements.
Project Documents
