Ferry ridership to and from Oakland's Jack London Square has increased nearly 50 percent over the last two years, Port of Oakland officials said Wednesday.

Ferries from Jack London Square to San Francisco, Alameda and South San Francisco saw the annual number of rides grow from 285,767 in 2012 to 425,970 last year, port officials said.

The surge in ridership could be attributable to an improved economy, more awareness of ferry service and commuters looking for alternatives to congested highways and bridges, port officials said.

"Ferry service along the San Francisco Bay continues to be incredibly popular, both for daily commuters and weekend travelers and tourists," SF Bay Ferry manager Ernest Sanchez said in a statement.

The improved ferry traffic has been a boon to Jack London Square, port officials said, with office space in the area 98 percent leased to capacity. It also helps create jobs in dining options in the area.

SF Bay Ferry operates four routes to locations in the East Bay, San Francisco and the Peninsula and Marin County. The service carries a total of about 1.9 million passengers per year.