by Keith Mizuguchi : sfstation – excerpt
When the Bay Bridge closes on Wednesday night at 8:00pm, thousands of people who travel daily to and from San Francisco will need to find another way to get across the Bay.
The bridge is closing until Tuesday morning, September 3rd at 5:00am, when the new eastern span will 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. So during the closure, here are a few ways to get around for those who take the span each day.
BART – the transit agency will be expanding service, 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. Police Will ‘Relax’ Parking Enforcement at Ferry Terminals During Bridge Closure. (see RELATED)
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… (more)
RELATED:
Increased Ferry Service Available For Bay Bridge Closure
Police Will ‘Relax’ Parking Enforcement at Ferry Terminals During Bridge Closure.
Alameda police will relax parking enforcement near both of the city’s ferry terminals, except for flagrant violations such as the blocking of driveways, sidewalks, handicap parking or fire hydrants, according to an announcement from the city manager’s office.
The San Francisco Bay Ferry during the week will be running 10 boats instead of its usual eight, and on the weekend and Labor Day will have five boats instead of three, according to SF Bay Ferry spokesman Ernest Sanchez. More details of local ferry service are available here.
Meter Madness 