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It bears repeating: Stay away from the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend

Posted on by Sarah B.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this week, you’ve undoubtedly been bombarded with media reports about the demolition of Doyle Drive that is taking place this weekend.

This is equivalent to when Vegas implodes on of their mega hotels, except it doesn’t happen in 60 seconds and we won’t have fireworks and countdowns (but I sort of wish we would, that would be most excellent). The Doyle Drive demo lasts 3 days, will employ over 40 giant hammers to wreck it, and crews will be working 24/7 beginning at 8pm tonight until 5am on Monday morning (view the full advisory).

What that means to locals is that there is only one major thoroughfare that will be open to get onto (and off) the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend – 19th Avenue / Park Presidio.

If you can, avoid heading to Marin this weekend. If you do have to go, you might want to consider taking the Bay Bridge and Richmond Bridge to get there.

And if you plan on coming back to the city via the Golden Gate Bridge, pack snacks and beverages – it could take you awhile. All traffic coming off the bridge will be forced to take Highway 1/19th Avenue or exit off into the Presidio.

If you’re sentimental about Doyle Drive, you have until 8pm tonight to drive on it one last time. Beginning Monday, there will be a temporary roadway in place and one of the new tunnels will be opened to traffic in the southbound direction.

I bid you a fond adieu, Doyle Drive. I’ve logged a lot of miles on you in my years here in SF, and you’ve always been my favorite way to get from here to there. I’m sure your successor, the Presidio Parkway, will be a very worthy replacement.

Sarah B.

9 Comments

  1. Just curious: What if you were to take 25th Ave to Lincoln Blvd, drive past Baker Beach and get on the bridge that way? That route won’t be closed, will it? I’m assuming it’s not mentioned because they don’t want a lot of people going that way and creating traffic in the Presidio?

  2. @Catherine – Yes, routes through the Presidio (such as through 14th Ave or 25th Ave gate) will be open and available as options to get on the bridge. They typically don’t include the Presidio in their alternate routes for closures, probably for reasons you mentioned.

  3. That is a good detour, however it is fairly well-known. When Hwy. 1 gets backed up solid to golden Gate Park, Lincoln Blvd. gets pretty full too.

  4. It’s great to see in the Police Blotter today that they are actually planning on having traffic cops along the alternate route to help manage traffic….

  5. Is there anything we can do about the news helicopters? ’cause I’m willing to bet that they’ll be as bad or worse than the demolition and traffic noise. Just take a picture and fork off already.

  6. 5pm Friday, there are (at least) two already hovering, AND IT HASN’T EVEN STARTED YET. I think I’ve just become an “Occupy” fan.

  8. Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, DPW has blocked off two lanes of Geary Blvd. east of Park Presidio Blvd. so volunteers can install plants and spread wood chips in the median strip, with bright red shiny shovels. (Though as of 8 AM they are still drinking coffee in the volunteer tent). Every time we drive down Geary Blvd. we’ll be able to fondly say “I remember when they planted that. It was the same weekend that Doyle Drive was torn down!” (I just spent last week doing maps for a long-planned 30-mile Ridge Trail hike that stages from and returns to the Presidio, so I understand prior-planned events, but the Ridge Trail isn’t blocking off lanes on an official detour!

    At 8 AM traffic is light; there’s about a 2 block backup eastbound on Geary, waiting to cross Hwy. 1 because the traffic cops are giving slight priority to the Hwy 1 to 101 detour-ers turning left onto eastbound Geary. (As they should). Had no trouble crossing Hwy 1 on Balboa and Anza at the normal signals.

  9. Thanks for the links Bob. Looks like the one at Sheridan is not working right now (1 PM Sat).

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