Mission Bay ferries to serve Warriors fans, not workers, until 2021

San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Bay Area ferry service providers announced this week a plan to operate a temporary ferry service terminal during special Chase Center events, and, of course, the 2019-20 Warriors season.

Breed, who created a Chase Center Working group with several city departments, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said Wednesday the group’s goal is to make sure that residents and visitors heading to and from the Chase Center can get there using public transit:

“We need to continue to invest in our transportation infrastructure so that we can have a successful opening of Chase Center that also works for the Mission Bay neighborhood and residents.”

Construction of the Mission Bay Interim Ferry Landing will begin in August at Pier 48-1/2. The project is currently in its design phase and the permitting process has already begun, the Mayor’s Office said.

The temporary terminal will include a temporary float from the Water Emergency Transportation Authority. Regional ferry service providers, such as the San Francisco Bay Ferry and Golden Gate Ferry, will provide service to the Chase Center and may serve may serve the Oakland-Alameda, South San Francisco, and Larkspur ferry routes.

The service would initially operate only during events at the Chase Center.

David Beaupre, a senior waterfront planner for the Port of San Francisco, told the SFMTA Board of Directors on Tuesday that the permanent Mission Bay Ferry Landing terminal will not open until the end of 2021.

The Mission Bay Ferry Landing project relies on Regional Measure 3 funds, but the funds are tied up in litigation and cannot yet be awarded to the project.

Once completed, the ferry landing will serve daily commuters and those heading to the Chase Center with capacity to operate two ferry boats at the same time while handling 6,000 passengers per day to and from the Mission Bay Neighborhood.

Elaine Forbes, executive director for the Port of San Francisco, said that the port is ready to deliver water transit for The City:

“While we’re looking forward to the permanent landing in the future, providing interim service now is essential to ensuring that the public has as many transit options available from day one, including ferries, which we hope to see become an integral part of how we get around the City and the Bay Area.”

Officials expect to have the temporary terminal in operation by Oct. 1. Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony open the Chase Center arena Sept. 6, with a Warriors-Lakers exhibition game scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5.