Super Bowl events to snarl Muni, traffic

San Francisco is hosting two Super Bowl 50 events in coming weeks that will require traffic detours and for Muni buses to reroute at the foot of Market Street near The Embarcadero.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is warning drivers and Muni riders to give themselves extra time, especially for those who work in the area. Both events open to the public on Jan. 30 through Feb. 7, but Muni reroutes and traffic detours will start on Jan. 23 to give time for both events to set up and last until Feb. 12 to take down the events.

The Super Bowl City fan village, which is a free event and open to the public, will takeover most of Justin Herman Plaza, The Embarcadero near the Ferry Building and three blocks on Market Street between Beale and Spear streets.

Moscone Center will house the NFL Experience, which is a ticketed event. Traffic near the Moscone on Howard Street between Third and Fourth streets will be partially shutdown.

Muni Reroutes

As SFBay has been reporting, the F-Market/Wharves historic streetcars will run from the Don Chae Way loop to Fisherman’s Wharf. The SFMTA will have bus shuttles running from The Embarcadero to the Castro.

The SFMTA updated its map of changes to several Muni routes and its terminals, which include the 2-Clement, 3-Jackson, 9-San San Bruno, 9R-San Bruno, 14-Mission, 14R-Mission and 31-Balboa.

Terminal bus stops will also be moved starting on Jan. 25 on the 1BX-California, 7X-Noriega, 14X-Mission, 30X-Marina 31AX-Balboa, 31BX-Balboa and 38AX-Geary and 38BX-Geary.

Muni Metro service will continue running, but the transit agency said it will provide extra service on days when there are concerts held inside Super Bowl City. Chris Isaak and Alicia Keys are among the performers.

The SFMTA’s moving SF blog has more detailed updates on where those specific terminals will move.

Traffic Detours

The SFMTA will close southbound traffic access to The Embarcadero from Washington Street to Don Chee Way and on Steuart Street from Market Street to Don Chee Way. The transit agency will detour drivers to turn right onto Washington Street to Battery Street.

Drivers heading eastbound on Market Street will have to turn onto First Street. The SFMTA said drivers who want to continue east can use Folsom Street.

Howard and Third streets will also experience traffic detours. Westbound drivers on Howard Street will need to turn left onto Second Street and then a right onto Harrison Street. The detour plan is similar to that of the Oracle and Sales Force events held at the Moscone Center.

SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose said the transit agency will monitor the traffic through its transit and traffic management center at 1455 Market Street. Rose said the SFMTA will make adjustments as needed throughout the event for both traffic and Muni reroutes.

As SF Weekly reported this week, the transit agency recently added more traffic cameras on Market Street near the site of the Super Bowl City fan village, which drew attention from people walking by Market Street.

The estimated cost to the transit agency, which includes providing extra transit service and parking control is $2.3 million.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.