Transit Options During Bay Bridge Closure
Thousands of people who travel daily to and from San Francisco will need to find another way to get across the Bay when the Bay Bridge closes on Wednesday night at 8pm,
The bridge is closing until Tuesday morning, September 3rd at 5am, when the new eastern span is scheduled to be unveiled. Transportation officials have said the new bridge could open earlier, but it really depends on the construction process during the time it’s closed. During the closure, here are a few ways to get around:
BART – the transit agency will be expanding service to including 24-hour service at 14 stations. Overnight trains will run on an hourly basis and all trains will transfer at MacArthur station in Oakland from early Thursday morning (August 29) through early Monday morning (September 2). Trains will run from Concord to SFO (and in the reverse direction) with stops at Walnut Creek, MacArthur, 12th Street (Oakland), Embarcadero, Powell, 24th Street and Daly City. Trains will also run from Dublin/Pleasanton to El Cerrito del Norte, with stops at Bay Fair, Oakland Coliseum, 12th Street, MacArthur and Downtown Berkeley. BART will also be adding extra cars to regularly scheduled trains during normal hours of operation.
AC Transit – During the closure, instead of traveling across the span, transbay lines will stop at four BART stations to drop off passengers going to San Francisco and pick up passengers coming from San Francisco (the temporary transbay stops will be at Oakland Coliseum, MacArthur, North Berkeley and West Oakland).
Ferry Service – Both San Francisco Bay Ferry and Golden Gate Ferry service will be expanded during the closure, with additional ferries running both during the week and through the holiday weekend.
There will also be some adjustments for those who take Capitol Corridor trains, and WestCAT and Greyhound bus service. Those who insist on driving can also take alternative routes, including the Richmond-San Rafael, San Mateo or Dumbarton Bridge. 511.org is a great tool for commuter options. Bay Bridge officials have said that the new span could open sooner than expected, possibly even on Monday, September 2. We’ll let you know if we hear the bridge is opening earlier than expected.
