Robin Williams Tunnel Gets Official Signage

The newly christened Robin Williams Tunnel gets its official signage. 

If you’ve ever traveled between Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area in the past 60 years, you’ve probably driven underneath a set of tunnels unofficially called the Waldo Tunnel. A petition to change the tunnels name to “Robin Williams Tunnel” was submitted to the California State Assembly last year and was approved. And according to SF Gate on their report earlier Tuesday, the tunnel now has its official signage to go along with that piece of legislation. Check out some exclusive pieces of social media that have landed since the signage was installed.

Robin Williams was a longtime resident of the San Francisco Bay Area for decades, being a point of pride for many residents since Williams hit the silver screen and television. His passing was a shock to not only the world, but to the greater local community. Since his passing, numerous memorials of sorts were erected and built including a local community garden, an ongoing memorial of sorts at the Ms. Doubtfire House and even another petition to get a statue built in his honor. Now motorists will have another reason to smile as they drive into San Francisco from Marin County.

The rainbow motif painted around the borders of the tunnel entrances were added in 1954 by a Cal Trans Employee. Since then, it’s garnered the unofficial name as the Rainbow Tunnel as well as the Waldo Grade Tunnel. The author on the official Change.org petition pointed out that the rainbow-colored suspenders of Robin Williams from Mork and Mindy were a natural connection to the recently passed actor. And 77 out of 77 California Assembly members agreed unanimously by passing this piece of legislation.

Privately and publicly funded at a price of $3,000 for the signs, the Robin Williams tunnel will forever be a piece of cultural history for anyone passing through the Waldo Grade.

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So the next time you find yourself in the Marin Headlands and are going into San Francisco for a bite to eat, now you can point out to your passengers and friends the little bit of history behind this signage. And if you’re a gearhead who happens to be a Robin Williams fan, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you giving a friendly brap or rev within those tunnel walls as a nod to Williams himself.