Richmond – San Rafael Bridge

Probably one of the most practical bridges in the Bay Area. The toll is always $ 5 (unlike the bay bridge) and yes there is traffic here during rush hour times but it always manages to keep it moving. The only reason why I didn’t rate this 5 starts is because since the bridge is only 2 lanes and more toll booths than lanes it can cause a bit of back up. Once you are on he bridge things to tend move even faster, the same can be applied on the way back as well. You can take this bridge to get to Marin county or to get into the city if you want to avoid the mess of a traffic that can happen on the bay bridge. The entrance to the bridge is neat point Richmond and getting off the bridge is near San Quentin prison.

Really bad during rush hour. I drove here for the first time inbound to San Francisco in the morning (7am) and it was horrible!
I don’t understand why this bridge turns into two lanes when there were like 10 toll booths.
After passing the toll booths, the lanes all merge together until it’s only two.
You need to have patience to do this everyday.

If I could give zero stars I would. This bridge is terrifying. Rickety old 5mi long double decker erector set. Narrow lanes, visible drop distance… Agh. White knuckles all the way across.

The bridge has one major problem. About half of the toll lanes merge into one lane which then merges into another. With even a little traffic it’s like playing a game of chicken right after paying the toll. I guess doing his motivates you to get the fast track pass since you can shave a few minutes off by using one. So definitely get one. Anyway it’s difficult to give a glowing review of anything dealing with commuting…

Seeing all the nice reviews here, I feel inclined to write comments so people can see this bridge from another angle.
I am a daily commuter from East Bay to Marin in the morning and the other way in the evening. Morning traffic is a nightmare. Accidents happen every few days. I myself had a four-​car-​involved accident on this bridge, and during which my car was destroyed. Traffic could be backed up all the way to El Cerrito sometimes. Possibly because of the M-​shaped bridge body, the traffic slows down and speeds up abruptly a few times while on the bridge, which really could be the cause of many accidents, in my opinion.
In the evening, traffic backs up miles and miles on highway 580 (sometimes backup to 101), all the ramps and city roads leading towards it. Most critically, it only has two lanes each way. It is just absurd. The amount of automobiles travelling on this bridge may not be comparable to Bay Bridge, but it should definitely won a medal for its daily huge backup and number of accidents.
Public transit here is almost non-​existent (which just makes the traffic worse). As far as I know, bus 42 is the only bus connecting east bay and Marin. And it’s more like a regular city bus rather than a commuter bus, as it stops every few blocks in both Marin and Richmond.

I wouldn’t normally think to Unilocal review freeways and bridges, but since there’s already a listing and a bunch of reviews, why not? Yes, this is one of my fave bridges that I use in the Bay Area. I cross this bridge whenever I want to go to Marin from the East Bay. The more famous Golden Gate I hardly ever use since I don’t live in SF. In the old days I’m told, the Richmond approach to the bridge was super scary as the freeway was not there yet and you had to travel the surface streets of Richmond to get to the bridge. There was a particularly bad area at a stop light where there was this liquor store with bars on the windows that always had gangster looking types hanging out front. You really hoped you car didn’t break down here at night! Start changing a flat tire, and you may have some unwanted help asking you what you have in your car.
But now, the approach is all nice freeway on the Richmond side. This section of 580 is all nice and pretty new as far as freeways go from the bridge to where it hooks up with 80. I used to have a BF in Albany and when we wanted to get to Marin for whatever, wow, it was just a 15 min trip by freeway and bridge. The bridge is only 2 lanes in each direction, but will only back up during commute hours. It used to be 3 lanes each way, till one lane on the upper deck was closed to provide space for a big ass water pipe when Marin ran out of water during a previous drought. Since the pipe has been removed, but Caltrans kept the lane closed to use as a breakdown lane. The traffic is light enough most times to go some really illegal speeds if you are so inclined (guilty!). The road surface is in pretty good shape and the weird suspension bouncing undulations on the Marin side heading Eastbound at the beginning of the bridge, have been fixed. Remember those? The car got really bouncing if you timed the humps just right!
This bridge is unique, in that the deck makes a big dip in the middle instead of just going straight or following a natural arch, like most bridges. The reason for this is, it was cheaper to build a bridge lower in the middle, than to keep increasing the height to form a normal single vertical curve in the middle, when there was already sufficient height to clear the shipping channels. My BF was told this when he interviewed the bridge manager for a research paper.
Whatever you think of this bridge, it really gets you over and back to Marin without a lot of fuss and very quickly. The toll of $ 5.00 is collected as you go towards Marin. At least you get more for your money using this bridge for $ 5 bucks than you do just crossing the short Benicia or Carqueniz bridges. My second fave bridge is the San Mateo … flat and fast for miles!

$ 5 toll
This bridge connects east Richmond to west San Rafael. Toll is $ 5 and is collected on westbound heading to San Rafael. We crossed this bridge when we came from an East Bay Unilocal Elite Event in Oakland heading to Muir Woods in Mill Valley. Once again, having a FasTrak zips you right through the bridge. Three left lanes are for FasTrak, otherwise, stay on your right for cash customers. The bridge is about some 5 miles long. San Quentin State Prison is just beyond the edge after the bridge heading westbound. Also, one can see Mount Tamalpais as well from here…

I commute everywhere and probably cross every bay area bridge at least once a week. This one is my favorite when I return from Oakland and head to Sonoma — probably because can see the lively water AND I’m heading home.

We were a dollar short for some reason…and the toll employee told he us would pick it up. Yay, nice guy! Your act of kindness was much appreciated (this was in July 2014). Otherwise, I enjoy my trek over the Richmond Bridge when leaving or entering Marin.

The Richmond-​San Rafael Bridge is an excellent bridge! It successfully carries the roadway high above the water between the East Bay and the North Bay. The toll booths do a very effective job of collecting money.
Ughh…another ridiculous review of an average infrastructure feature… who am I kidding?
3 stars… it’s fine.

I dont know why this bridge doesn’t get more shine in the spotlight. So, here I am giving it a little ray of sunshine. I took this route home from Sausalito and it was way quicker and the bridge is a better ride and scenic route altogether, until you hit the El Cerrito area, then it just seems like you’re in the back alley where Ricky got shot.
So, I enjoyed my ride home opposed to the one I would have had on the Golden Gate Bridge at a dam near dead stop.

The John F. McCarthy Memorial Bridge a.k.a. The Richmond-​San Rafael Bridge is friggin’ long, 5.5 miles (8.85 km) and connects Marin County (right at San Quentin State Prison) and Richmond (East Bay). It obviously is nothing like the Golden Gate Bridge, but still a pretty ride across, especially going west as you are then on the upper deck. There are two lanes in each direction. Unfortunately you can’t see much of the scenery because of the railings. However, driving to Marin you can see the majestic Mt. Tamalpais and on the north side you can see a tiny little island with a lighthouse on it. That is actually a bed and breakfast where you can spend the night. You have to pay a bridge toll when you enter the bridge on the Richmond side.

I don’t get the same butterflies as I do crossing the Golden Gate Bridge but this one is rather impressive and the views are really spectacular! Love traveling around the Bay Area and enjoying all there is to see.

Oh R-​SRF Bridge! You have helped me commute to work during the times I used to work in Marin County and back.
This bridge is nice during the daytime and on a sunny day! You get to see the waters underneath the bridge sparkling and glistening when the sunlight hits it.
As you drive closer to Highway 101, you can see views from San Quentin Prison (although I hope that I’ll never have to go there), Target in SRF, Sir Frances Drake Blvd and glimpses of Angel Island and Golden Gate Bridge.
Some of the downfalls to this bridge are the heavy traffic during certain times (even though the Bay Bridge has just as worse traffic) and on rainy/​thunderstorm days, the roads get so slippery which causes accidents (from people speeding on the bridge) which then slows down the commute.
Trucks, for instance, needs to be even more careful when driving here because when they get in an accident their vehicle swerves in a curve that takes up more than half the bridge which in turn limits the amount of lanes therefore slowing down the commute. No Bueno for the people that work in Marin County or Santa Rosa area who are trying to get to work on time. I’ve been late for work before because of problems like this.
Other than that, it’s a good basic bridge.

Easy access to/​from Marin County to the East Bay Contra Costa County.
Get FasTrak to avoid having to stop to pay for your tolls. Just keep on driving! FasTrak works at all Bay Area bridges as well as the Southern California Toll Roads.

Is it weird to have a favorite bridge? Probably anywhere else but in the Bay area, but I have to say this one is it for me. It’s not as iconic as the Golden Gate, but it also doesn’t get as much traffic– I love the stacked lanes for that! Two lanes up top going one way, two lanes beneath going the other– recipe for success that I wish all bridges would follow.
It’s a long-​ass bridge, too, and gorgeous to drive at night or early morning– you can peek through the slats to see the water as you drive and it’s gorgeous seeing the moonlight reflected off it’s surface. Even in day time, it’s a decent sight too– iron bars and arches and lots of cross sections above the lanes, it’s architecturally impressive.
Sadly there doesn’t seem to be a way to walk this bridge, which is probably more due to the area and length than any other factors. Would probably find that sad if I lived close enough to consider walking here, but for now it doesn’t bother me.
I have yet to hit any traffic whatsoever on this bridge, which is also why I like it. There seems to be some construction coming out on the end that isn’t Marin, though– not clear what they’re trying to do, and traffic slows down right after the bridge, but it so far has not become problematic and I hope that doesn’t change.

hmmmm san quentin to the murder capital of california… interesting isnt it? Who would have thought that one of the most notorious prisons in the country would literally be this bridge away from one of the easiest places to be murdered?
So this bridge is an older one and I really like the vistas that it affords travelers as the cross from the liberal elite bastion known as Marin county to the east bay. The views of angel island, the bay, and the ships that cruise these waters are awesome. I for one really enjoy this particular bridge.
Pro tip: The toll plaza for this bridge is northbound.
The fact that this bridge is a double decker is not unique, but it is not common I think either. I believe the vistas from this location are spectacular and a reason to travel across them regardless of anything else. I will admit that I wish that there was a place to park in mid span to take photos and enjoy the vistas…
Overall I really like this bridge. The toll plaza is however just about the worst one of any bridge in the bay. The only one that I find potentially worse is the dumbarton bridges toll plaza.

This bridge is picturesque, and of the multiple spanning the Bay, is perhaps least likely to get all clogged up and unbearable. I love going over to Point Richmond’s Ferry Point, or climbing Nicholl Knob to appreciate its full glory…
gorgeous. East Brothers light station, San Rafael and Larkspur kissing it… I am in a great mood crossing it, either direction.
Was just in Sausalito a few days back; part of the excitement of the jaunt itself was the journey across the bridge.
PS Alright. sigh. I’ll just say it; there is also that eyesore and institution that my elicit some adverse emotions: San Quentin. most notably cell Block E =(

It gets me out of the armit of CA known as Richmond and safely over to beautiful Marin County… for that I thank thee!
I imagine it also provides hours of entertainment for the lifers in San Quentin, which sits just on the SW side of the bridge.

I rarely ever get to come across this bridge. I will say that the views are spectacular for not being near San Francisco.
When I do get a chance to come out this way I make sure to take full advantage of my views. For being so long its also pretty fast. I thinks its due to the two lanes each way. Getting onto the bridge from the Richmond side is pretty painless.
Then when you get to the Marin side you get that ominous view of San Quintin. Then I laugh and go about my business because I’m not a criminal.