Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island are strategically situated between San Francisco and Oakland. These San Francisco Bay islands are all set to undergo a massive redevelopment project, designed to support a thriving community. 

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority is overseeing the construction of multiple mobility projects, including the addition of 8,000 new homes, and 27% of which are designated as affordable housing. Carl Holmes, the deputy director of capital projects, puts the price tag at $350 million. 

The project also includes three master planned neighborhoods, multiple public transportation connections, extensive parks and open spaces, and a range of community amenities, including hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and public art installations.

Two projects are expected to be finished this year, while the majority of the projects are expected to be completed by the middle of the next decade. 

Three of the four planned multi-use paths are set to be bid for this year, while funding remains for the fourth segment. Holmes further added, “We’re also trying to see if it’s possible that we could design and maybe build portions of it, because we have half the roadways closed right now while we have two major constructions underway.”

The Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island project is set to be implemented in four phases, from 2018 to 2042. Currently, the work is happening under Major Phase 1. Phase 2 is expected to run from 2028 through 2035, followed by Phase 3, which runs from 2031 to 2041. Major Phase 4 is projected to run from 2034 through 2041.

However, the team has its work cut out. As part of the $126 million Yerba Buena Islands Seismic Retrofit project, which involves removing eight 1930s “old and rickety and rusty bridges.” They will be replaced with six retaining walls, a cut-and-cover tunnel, and a quarter-mile reconstructed roadway. The project had to be halted in 2023 due to the discovery of old military ordnance, like tear gas canisters.  

Engineers devised a system, “Sand Jail”, wherein 1.5-inch diameter hollow sealed rods were drilled vertically along the walls, and concrete was injected in the columns to hold the sand back. This was done to address the region's naturally sandy soil.

In March of this year, Thompson Builders recently completed a significant portion of the Hill Crest Road Improvement Project. The $22 million project featured a 30,000 sq. ft. retaining wall decorated with sculpted shotcrete and local artwork. A $4 million enhancement effort of the Treasure Island Ferry Terminal is also set to be completed this year.

The California Strategic Growth Council has also awarded a $45 million grant for the planned completion of the north segment of the Yerba Buena Multi-Use Path by the summer of 2028.

This project pairs sustainability with an inclusive design and resilient infrastructure standards, prioritizing long-term durability.