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Transit and Traffic Advisory for the San Francisco Independence Day Fireworks Celebration

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Note:  Muni Shuttle Services July 4-7.pdf (.pdf) attached.

On Thursday, July 4 the annual San Francisco Independence Day Fireworks Celebration will start at 2 p.m. along the waterfront near the Municipal Pier and Pier 39. Entertainment will be at Pier 39, Aquatic Park and Ghirardelli Square.  The fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m.

If BART is still on strike, those traveling from the East Bay or the Peninsula should be sure to check with www.511.org to make their travel plans.

As many as 200,000 people are expected in this area. Traffic congestion and disruption of transit service are expected in the northern section of the city.  To ensure safety of the riding public, customers should pay attention to their surroundings and allow extra travel time to get around the City.

The following street closures will be required:

  • 9 to 11 p.m., Thursday
    • Southbound Polk Street between Bay and Union streets (except for Muni and taxis)
  • 8:30 p.m. to midnight, Thursday
    • Marina Boulevard exit off Doyle Drive may be closed
  • 8 a.m., Wednesday to 5 p.m., Thursday
    • Jefferson Street from Aquatic Park to Hyde Street
  • 6 a.m., Thursday to 4 a.m., Friday
    • The Embarcadero between Powell and Mason streets
  • 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday
    • Van Ness Avenue between North Point Street and the Municipal Pier Terminus
    • Beach Street from Polk Street to the Terminus
  • 2 p.m., Thursday to 4 a.m., Friday
    • Jefferson Street between Hyde and Powell streets
  • 9:20 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Thursday
    • Northbound Embarcadero at Broadway

To ensure the safety of pedestrians in the area, the remaining areas of Fisherman’s Wharf bounded by The Embarcadero, Van Ness Avenue and Bay Street will be closed to vehicle traffic.

These additional closures could start as early as 3 p.m., Thursday as ordered by SFPD and SFMTA Parking Control Officers:

Embarcadero:        Bay to Taylor

Jefferson:               Embarcadero to Hyde

Beach:                   Hyde to west of Polk

Hyde:                     Beach to Jefferson

Leavenworth:         Beach to Jefferson

Jones:                    Beach to Jefferson

Taylor:                    Beach to Embarcadero

Polk & Larkin:         North Point to Beach

Van Ness:               North Point to Muni Pier

Mason:                    Beach to Jefferson

Powell:                    Beach to Jefferson

Parking

Parking meters, posted time limit zones and seven day street sweeping will be enforced citywide on the holiday. Commuter tow away, residential parking permits and Monday-Friday daytime street sweeping will not be enforced.

Meters on Port of San Francisco property, including The Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf, are enforced seven days per week throughout the year, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Hazards are always subject to ticketing and towing.

Muni Service

Sunday schedules will be in effect for Muni as well as the added service detailed below.

The SFMTA will provide extra two-car trains beginning 2 p.m. to supplement Metro service between West Portal and Embarcadero stations.

Starting at 2 p.m., the SFMTA will provide pre-event bus shuttles to Pier 39 and Van Ness Avenue and Chestnut via Van Ness Avenue.  The shuttles will supplement regular Muni service from Caltrain station at 4th and King Streets, from the Ferry Building and from Van Ness Avenue and Market Street.

Also starting at 2 p.m., the SFMTA will supplement service on the 47 and 49 routes with the Market St - Marina Shuttle (MM) special bus service between Van Ness Avenue and Chestnut Street and the Civic Center Muni/BART Station. Pre-event service will start from Grove and Hyde streets, stop at Market and Van Ness and then proceed to Chestnut Street via Van Ness Avenue. The additional stops are: Van Ness at O’Farrell and Clay at Union.

SFMTA staff will be located at the Caltrain station, the Ferry Building and the Civic Center Muni/BART Station to sell special transfers for return trips. Regular Muni fares will apply.

Return shuttle service will begin at 10 p.m. at two staging areas after the fireworks display until 11:30 p.m.  The return staging areas are:

  • The Embarcadero and Bay Street for service to the Ferry Building and Caltrain station
  • Polk and Francisco streets for service to Van Ness Avenue and Market Street and Civic Center Muni/BART Station (Market St - Marina Shuttle (MM))

Return stops for the Market St - Marina Shuttle (MM) are Polk and Union, Polk and Geary/O’Farrell, and, Grove and Hyde.

Caltrain riders are advised that the last Muni shuttle from The Embarcadero and Bay staging areas will leave no later than 11:30 p.m. to meet the last Caltrain, which departs at midnight.

Once the crowds disperse, regular Muni service will resume.

Reroutes

The following regular Muni service will be re-routed due to the congestion that is anticipated in the event area:

  • F Market
  • 8x Bayshore Express
  • 19 Polk
  • 30 Stockton
  • 39 Coit
  • 47 Van Ness
  • 49 Van Ness-Mission

After 3 p.m., the Powell-Hyde cable car line will be re-routed to the Powell-Mason line.

The following Muni routes may be affected after the fireworks due to the increased number of transit customers and the high volume of pedestrian traffic:

  • 91 Owl
  • 22 Fillmore
  • 45 Union-Stockton

America’s Cup

On the same day, Muni will provide bus shuttles from Pier 27 to the Marina Green between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The E-Embarcadero streetcar line will operate between the Fisherman’s Wharf and the 4th and King Caltrain Station from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Muni fares will be sold at the following locations and during the time specified:

Ferry Building                                                            2:30 to 8:30 p.m.

  • Between Don Chee Way and Market Street, in front of Justin Herman Plaza)

Caltrain Station                                                         2:30 to 8:30 p.m.

  • North East corner at 4th and King streets

To participate in the America’s Cup and Fourth of July activities, event participants can also go by bike.  The newly painted green bike lanes are in place along The Embarcadero from North Point to Howard streets in both directions. Please note the southbound lane will not include the auto right-turn dash markings at this time, but the SFMTA crews will be back in August to apply special reflective treatments in merge areas for right turns.

For further information, please visit www.sfgov.org/americascup or www.511.org/americascup.