The biggest change — lane closures on the Bay Bridge — won’t take effect until Tuesday — and morning traffic seemed typically slow but largely unaffected. Many commuters appeared to avoid driving across the bridge Monday morning, and the back-up appeared to ease by 8 a.m
The main events of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum will be held later this week, as is expected traffic chaos.
Muni service changes went into effect this morning, but other than a planned rerouting, the transit agency has reported no problems. BART also reported normal service during the morning commute.
There are barriers on Nob Hill for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) security, creating traffic problems. Video: Aldo Toledo
The four-day closure of the Bay Bridge lane, designed to allow law enforcement officers to monitor traffic and give them faster access to San Francisco, will go into effect starting at 5am on Tuesday and lasting until 9pm on Friday. The Interstate 80 ramp at 4th Street and 5th Street is scheduled to be closed daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., but traffic will be allowed outside those hours, Caltrans officials said.
The secured zones will extend from Market Streets to Harrison Streets and from Second to Fifth Streets in downtown San Francisco and around hotels on Nob Hill.
Officially, the exclusion zones will not go into full effect until late in the week – 10pm on Tuesday at Nob Hill and 10pm on Wednesday around the Moscone Centre. Only authorized vehicles will be allowed in the areas, and will be subject to inspection and identity verification before entering.
Pedestrians will be allowed to enter the areas without ID or security checks – except for the high-security areas closest to the site of APEC events.
Several Muni lines that regularly travel through those areas will also be rerouted or cut, including the California Cable Car Line, which will not run this week, and the Powell Street Lines, which will not go up Nob Hill and will start only on Washington Street. Muni Metro subway service on the Central Subway section of the T-Third Line will also be cancelled, although a shuttle train will operate between the Rose Pak/Chinatown and Union Square/Market Street stations.
All of these changes, planned by the US Secret Service, are subject to change. Streets have already been closed outside of designated times as crews set up steel fences and concrete barriers in safe areas. More changes are expected, including a temporary closure with the arrival of VIPs and their entourages.
City officials advised commuters to plan ahead, avoid driving, and use transit in and out of San Francisco.
Contact Michael Cabanatuan: [email protected]; Twitter: @ctuan