The dock is the first part of the island visible to visitors taking the ferry from San Francisco/NPS, Will Elder

A $35 million appropriation is being made to Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California for work to repair and seismically strengthen the concrete wharf at Alcatraz Island. The funds, from the Great American Outdoors Act, are intended to pay for work to provide safe access to the island for visitors, concessionaires, and National Park Service staff. 

“Generations of park visitors, locally and internationally, have enjoyed the experience at Alcatraz Island. This iconic San Francisco attraction and important historic site, receives over a million visitors annually,” said Golden Gate National Recreation Area Acting Superintendent Carey Feierabend. “GGNRA was one of the first of its kind to bring a national park experience to an urban audience and is a driver of tourism and support to the San Francisco Bay Area economy. Ongoing investments in critical infrastructure and operations will allow the park to continue to tell important stories at Alcatraz and throughout the park’s 82,000 acres." 

Alcatraz Island was an active prison until it closed in the 1960s; it became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972. The Alcatraz concrete wharf has not been rehabilitated since it was constructed in 1939. The island, long known for its dangerous ocean currents and exposure to the elements, has had severe impacts on its aging infrastructure. Park office and visitor services, partly managed by park partners, including restrooms, the dock office and store, interpretive exhibits, accessible site furnishings, and the accessible tram, are also expected to benefit from the project. 

This project builds on major previous investments the park has undertaken to preserve key resources and address priority safety concerns on the island, including improvements to the cellhouse. The wharf project will allow uninterrupted visitor access to Alcatraz facilities during construction and completion of the project and should facilitate future rehabilitation projects on the island. This project will also include improvements to the Finger Pier, funded in part by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

GAOA, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and other construction funding sources are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.