I‑80 Eastbound Closing This Weekend
- Eastbound I‑80 in San Francisco will close for the weekend, forcing major traffic detours across the city. - The closure begins in a matter of hours and impacts commuters headed to downtown and Bay Bridge access. - Officials urged drivers to follow posted detours and transit alternatives; KTVU provides full details and timing. (ktvu.com)
Eastbound Interstate 80 in San Francisco is shut for 55 hours this weekend between 17th and Fourth streets, starting at 11 p.m. Friday and ending at 6 a.m. Monday. (dot.ca.gov) The closure also takes out the southbound and northbound U.S. 101 connector ramps to eastbound I-80, cutting a standard route to the Bay Bridge from both downtown and the Peninsula. (dot.ca.gov) Caltrans said drivers headed east on I-80 must exit by Vermont Street; drivers who miss it will be sent to the Ninth Street off-ramp, then along Bryant Street to re-enter at the Fifth Street on-ramp. Drivers coming from Highway 101 are being routed through Folsom Street to the Essex Street on-ramp. (dot.ca.gov, ktvu.com) The Bay Bridge itself is staying open, but the usual eastbound approach through this 1.6-mile stretch of freeway is not. Caltrans said major backups are likely across SoMa, Mission Bay, and nearby streets. (dot.ca.gov, dot.ca.gov) Crews are using the shutdown to repair the Central and Bayshore freeway viaducts, which Caltrans says are 71 years old. The agency said the work includes structural rehabilitation, bridge-deck repairs, bridge-joint replacement, and road-surface fixes. (dot.ca.gov, ktvu.com) This is part of a two-year rehabilitation project that began in January on some of San Francisco’s busiest freeway structures near the Bay Bridge corridor. Caltrans said the goal is to restore structural integrity and extend the life of roads used by about 44,900 people daily. (dot.ca.gov, dot.ca.gov) Transit agencies adjusted around the closure. Bay Area Rapid Transit said it postponed planned April 19 Transbay Tube single-tracking work and is running normal five-line Sunday service so riders can avoid freeway traffic. (bart.gov) KTVU reported officials were also watching for heavier street congestion because the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is drawing crowds in San Francisco this weekend. Caltrans public affairs manager Pedro Quintana told the station the closed segment is “the main artery area” leading to the Bay Bridge. (ktvu.com) For drivers, the immediate question is not whether the Bay Bridge is open, but how to reach it. Caltrans said the posted detours and transit alternatives will stay in place until the freeway reopens at 6 a.m. Monday, April 20. (dot.ca.gov)
