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Traffic chaos looms: San Francisco Marathon road closures, delays

A large crowd of runners, some in brightly colored attire, participate in a race on a bridge. Traffic is separated from the runners by cones on the right.
Thousands of runners cross the Golden Gate Bridge during the 2015 San Francisco Marathon. There will be road closures and traffic delays around the city this weekend. | Source: Brant Ward/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
By Garrett Leahy

Traffic delays are expected across San Francisco this weekend as officials close roads to make way for thousands of runners.

There will be races Saturday, but most closures will take effect Sunday for the full San Francisco Marathon.

The 26.2-mile course will take runners all over the city: across the Golden Gate Bridge and through Golden Gate Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Presidio and Oracle Park, according to organizers.

The city will close a network of roads that are part of the course. Affected areas include the Marina, the Richmond, Golden Gate Park and the Mission. Marathon organizers have posted a map of road closures online.

The image shows a map of San Francisco with highlighted routes and road closures for a marathon. It includes impact times, detours, and areas with restricted vehicle access.
Roads around the city will be closed during the San Francisco Marathon Sunday. | Source: Courtesy San Francisco Marathon

Twenty-nine bus lines will be delayed or rerouted during the race, according to the SFMTA. More details about those changes are available on the agency’s website.

Also, on Sunday between 12:01 a.m. and 7 p.m., there will be temporary taxi stands on Clay Street between Drumm and Davis and on the north side of Drumm Street.

Here’s a look at expected closures.

The Embarcadero

12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m.:

  • Northbound closed from Third Street to Broadway, southbound closed from Broadway to Harrison Street

Fisherman’s Wharf

5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.:

  • No vehicles allowed on Jefferson Street between Powell and Hyde

Marina District

5 a.m. to 9 a.m.:

  • Westbound lanes of Bay Street closed
  • Northbound Laguna Street from Bay Street to Marina Boulevard closed
  • West lanes of Marina Boulevard to Yacht Road closed

Golden Gate Bridge

4 a.m. to 10 a.m.:

  • Vista Point exit and parking lot (northeast side) closed

8:45 a.m.:

  • East-side bridge sidewalk opens to bikes and pedestrians

10 a.m.:

  • West-side bridge sidewalk opens to bikes only
Runners participate in a race along a city street with a historic clock tower in the background, surrounded by trees and streetlights, under a cloudy sky.
Runners race past the Ferry Building during the 2014 San Francisco Marathon. | Source: Scott Strazzante/SF Chronicle/Getty Images

Presidio and Golden Gate National Recreation Area

12 a.m. to 10 a.m.:

  • No access to Golden Gate Bridge through the Presidio

4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.:

  • Lincoln Boulevard and intersections closed from 25th Avenue gate to Lendrum Court
  • Mason Street and intersections closed from Marina Gate to Crissy Field Avenue
  • Crissy Field Avenue closed

Richmond

6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.:

  • 26th and 27th avenues from Fulton Street to Lake Street will be closed to through traffic. Cross traffic will be allowed intermittently on California, Clement, Geary, Balboa and Cabrillo.

Golden Gate Park, Sunset and Richmond

6 a.m. to 11 a.m.:

  • Northbound and southbound traffic through Golden Gate Park should travel along Park Presidio and 19th Avenue

5 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.:

  • Southbound Crossover Drive to Transverse Drive at John F. Kennedy Drive closed
  • 19th Avenue to Blue Heron Lake Drive closed

5 a.m. to 10 a.m.:

  • Sunset Boulevard at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive closed
  • 41st Avenue at Chain of Lakes closed
  • John F. Kennedy Drive at Chain of Lakes closed

Upper Haight

6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.:

  • North and southbound traffic across Upper Haight Street should use Kezar Drive (from or to Lincoln off Oak and Fell)

Lower Haight

6:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.:

  • North and southbound traffic across Lower Haight Street should use Steiner or Fillmore

Market Street Area

6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.:

  • Delays expected at Duboce Ave. and Guerrero Street

Mission and Potrero

6:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

  • Delays expected crossing 15th, 16th and 17th streets

7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

  • Third Street detour between Mariposa and 20th
  • Southbound traffic should use westbound Mariposa Street to Tennessee (south) to westbound 18th Street overpass to southbound Pennsylvania Street to eastbound 20th or 23rd Street to Third Street.
  • Northbound traffic should use westbound 23rd or 20th street to northbound Pennsylvania Street to eastbound 18th Street to Tennessee to Mariposa to Third Street.

Oracle Park, Mission Rock and South Beach

7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

  • Terry Francois Boulevard closed

Marin County

5 a.m. to 10 p.m.:

  • Alexander Avenue open to Fort Baker traffic only

If you need to drive across the marathon route, these are the streets you should take, according to the SFMTA:

East/west travel

  • Richmond: all streets with the exception of Lake Street and El Camino de Mar
  • Dogpatch: 18th and 20th Street

North/south travel

  • Great Highway (North of Lincoln Avenue)
  • 19th Avenue
  • Steiner Street
  • Fillmore Street
  • Valencia Street
  • Mission Street
  • South Van Ness Avenue
  • Folsom Street (from 15th to 17th streets)
  • Bryan Street
  • Potrero Avenue
  • Kansas Street
  • De Haro Street
  • Pennsylvania Street

The full marathon starts Sunday at 5:15 a.m. at Embarcadero and Market Street and ends at Embarcadero and Howard Street. Runners have a six-hour limit to run the circuitous route around the city.

There will also be two half marathons on Sunday and a 5K Saturday morning at Crissy Field.

Garrett Leahy can be reached at garrett@sfstandard.com

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LifeSan Francisco MarathonSportsTrafficTransportation