Traffic Expected in SF from Weekend Freeway Connector Closure, Several Major Events

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/BCN) -- The planned weekend closure by Caltrans of San Francisco's Central Freeway ramp connecting westbound Interstate Highway 80 and northbound U.S. Highway 101 along with several major events are expected to impact traffic in the city through Sunday.

Motorists should anticipate delays on the Bay Bridge and elsewhere on westbound Highway 80 during the closure, which will start at 10 p.m. Friday and last until 5 a.m. Monday while crews replace a guardrail that was struck and damaged by a big-rig last October, according to Caltrans.

Caltrans had put up a temporary guardrail following the crash, but this weekend will remove that and install new guardrail in a 70-foot gap and allow the concrete to dry before the ramp reopens.

To limit extra traffic going onto westbound Highway 80 during this weekend's closure, the Seventh Street on-ramp in San Francisco will also close, but all other ramps connecting to Highways 80 and 101 will remain open.

Motorists trying to get to places around San Francisco from westbound Highway 80 can take off-ramps including Fremont Street, Fifth Street, Ninth Street, or can go to southbound Highway 101 and exit at Cesar Chavez Street, according to Caltrans.

Detour signs will be posted along the affected highway areas. More information about the project can be found at Caltrans website.

Traffic in downtown San Francisco will also continue to be impacted by the closure of streets around Moscone Center due to Dreamforce. The closures for preparation before and clean-up after the convention began ten days ago and will continue until 8 p.m. Sunday night.

More information on the Dreamforce-related street closures is available from the SFMTA.

There are also two other major weekend events expected to draw large crowds in San Francisco this weekend.

The Folsom Street Fair -- the famed kink and BDSM festival -- makes a return on Sunday to the city's South of Market neighborhood, after having to cancel last year's event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the event, several streets in the area will be closed from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m., including Folsom Street between Eighth and 13th streets, as well as Ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th streets between Howard and Harrison streets, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency officials.

Drivers should expect heavy traffic congestion throughout the neighborhood. Additionally, the closures will affect the 9-San Bruno, 12-Folsom/Pacific, and 27-Bryant bus routes, SFMTA officials said.

Also happening on Sunday, the Roadworks and Streamroller Printing Festival will celebrate printmaking and book arts along with vendor, demonstrations, activities, and arts and crafts. The event marks the live festival's comeback after last year's event was held virtually due to the pandemic.

The free event goes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the city's Potrero Hill neighborhood. For the event, Rhode Island Street will be closed between 16th and 17th streets between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The street closure will affect the 19-Polk bus route, SFTMA officials said.

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