New route to Golden Gate Bridge reopens after 3-day closure

During the extended weekend closure motorists approaching the bridge from the south had to use Highway 1.

Repair work on San Francisco’s Doyle Drive is ahead of schedule and officials say it could reopen before the 5 a.m. deadline on Monday, barring any issues.

From there, they can choose to stay on the main road to Richardson Avenue – which feeds into Lombard Avenue – or access the Presidio or Marina using a new exit ramp on the right side of the road.

While there weren’t too many commuters congesting the Saturday drive Officer Andrew Barclay of the California Highway Patrol said tourists and people leaving San Francisco have the same effect.

As predicted, traffic was disrupted by the closure on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, Barclay said. The Presidio Parkway will provide a safe and updated roadway, and will “create a spectacular regional gateway between the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco”.

No major problems were reported early on despite fears of a traffic nightmare.

Ferry traffic was steady from Larkspur with 200 to 300 hundred passengers on each trip, said Priya Clemens, spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge district. “There’s going to be a lot of digging, a lot of hauling and a lot of rebuilding”, she said.

Wong ignored officers attempts get him to pull over and kept driving, past the toll plaza, into a closed portion of Doyle Drive, as he accelerated speed, knocking down a lowered stop arm, according to the CHP. “Don’t do anything reckless”. The roadway will be closed for 79 hours from 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Drivers are advised to avoid the closure areas, either by traveling through Oakland and bypassing the Golden Gate Bridge entirely, or by following the local detours.

The old structure was built in 1936 and posted a safety score of only 2 out of 100 in a state rating system, reflecting its poor condition.

The new roadways will have wider lanes and safety shoulders. When finished Monday, three lanes will flow northbound and four southbound.