Transit Chaos During July 4 Celebration

San Francisco’s July 4 fireworks celebration at the Golden Gate Bridge drew more than 100,000 people and left parts of the Presidio, Marina and northern waterfront mired in hours of gridlock, long transit lines and mounting complaints from riders and residents. Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office said the city staged the rare bridge-launched display as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, while transit agencies had urged people in advance to avoid driving and expect heavy congestion. After the show, SFMTA officials said the system could not absorb the crush of riders and apologized for what one agency official described as a breakdown in moving people out of the area. Supervisors are now pressing city departments for hearings and written explanations before San Francisco’s next major waterfront crowds arrive in October. ### How big was the event that overwhelmed the system? July 4 was billed by San Francisco as the city’s only official fireworks show of the year, with fireworks set to launch from the Golden Gate Bridge at about 9:30 p.m. The mayor’s office said the bridge display was only the third fireworks show from the span in its nearly 90-year history, a factor city officials used in promoting the event. More than 100,000 people came to San Francisco for the celebration, according to Charles Lutvak, a spokesperson for Mayor Daniel Lurie, as reported by KQED. ABC7 reported that the mayor’s office gave the same attendance figure after the event. SFMTA had said before July 4 that the city expected thousands of visitors, especially in the Marina and Presidio neighborhoods, and warned of “long lines, delays and crowding both coming and going.” ### What did the city and transit agencies tell people before the fireworks? On June 30, SFMTA said it was preparing special service and traffic plans for the “historic” celebration and urged residents and visitors to walk, bike, take transit or a taxi. Acting Director of Transportation Viktoriya Wise said people should “allow for extra time” and be prepared for difficult parking conditions. The Presidio also warned visitors in a July 2 update to “leave your car at home,” saying it expected a very busy day with heavy traffic, limited parking and significant delays before and after the fireworks. (sf.gov) The park said Muni routes 28, 30 and 43 would not enter the Presidio as normal and told riders to be prepared to walk from transit hubs into the park. SF.gov said the Crissy Field parking lot would be closed to the general public from 6 a.m. on July 4 to 6 a.m. on July 5, while the Golden Gate Bridge would close to traffic during the show. (sfmta.com) ### What went wrong once people tried to leave? SFMTA told ABC7 that the transit system could not handle the additional 41,000 riders it saw on July 4. The station also reported that lines after the fireworks stretched for more than half a mile for people waiting to board buses in the Presidio and Marina areas. Viktoriya Wise said, “Our transportation system honestly simply could not handle the volume of people that arrived in San Francisco Saturday.” (presidio.gov) SFGATE reported that tens of thousands of people moved through the Presidio in the hour before the show and that roads there turned into what it described as a parking lot. The same outlet reported that officials had asked for patience as thousands headed home after the display. Fog also obscured much of the bridge show from some western vantage points, according to SFGATE, leaving some spectators to leave early while transportation problems continued for hours. (abc7news.com) ### How did Waymo become part of the traffic failure? KQED reported that more than 30 Waymo vehicles became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show, blocking parking for hours. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood told KQED he planned to seek answers from city departments about how autonomous vehicles and what he called “insufficient transit options” contributed to the gridlock. (sfgate.com) Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli told KQED that “extreme traffic congestion in northern San Francisco disrupted normal operations for several Waymo vehicles.” Bonelli said some vehicles were able to leave once congestion cleared, while others ran out of charge while idling and had to be towed. ABC7 and other local outlets also tied the robotaxis to delays that compounded already heavy traffic in the Presidio. (kqed.org) ### Which officials are demanding reviews now? District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill is calling for a hearing on what went wrong before Fleet Week arrives in October, ABC7 reported. Sherrill said San Francisco needs to review its response now so future major events can be managed “safely and efficiently.” Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was the target date for Mahmood’s planned letter of inquiry, according to KQED. (kqed.org) Mahmood said he wanted responses from the Department of Emergency Management, the Fire Department and SFMTA on how autonomous vehicles affected public transit, emergency response and the movement of crowds after an event that exceeded attendance expectations. Fleet Week, the next major test for San Francisco’s waterfront operations, is scheduled for October. (abc7news.com)