Heads Up! Golden Gate Bridge Lanes Closing Sunday For San Francisco Marathon

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Golden Gate Bridge northbound traffic lanes will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 23rd, as 15,000 runners are crossing the Bridge roadway during the San Francisco Marathon. Southbound lanes will continue to flow as usual. Runners are protected from southbound vehicles by the steel and concrete Moveable Median Barrier.

Golden Gate Transit vehicles will be escorted northbound across the Bridge, to provide public transit access. Emergency vehicles will also be escorted northbound, as needed. Patrol cars will travel alongside the runners. Private vehicles, shuttles, and tour buses will not be allowed to cross the Bridge in the northbound direction. Bridge sidewalks will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.

Historically, about 4,500 northbound vehicles cross the Golden Gate Bridge from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. The District asks for your help in alerting drivers to plan for an alternate path of travel, driving across the Bay Bridge and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to get to the North Bay. The delay is likely to take an extra hour of travel time.

This unprecedented decision to close the northbound lanes of the Golden Gate Bridge during the Marathon was made in the light of recent tragic events around the world, in which people have intentionally driven into pedestrians. The District's Board of Directors voted to enhance safety measures for the runners in the San Francisco Marathon, while also providing public access across the Bridge through Golden Gate Transit.

This is a one-time decision to close the Bridge lanes northbound for this specific event. In the coming months, the Board will consider the broader policy issue of closing the roadway for events.

The staff report, which provides more detail, can be found here.

– SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District / IMAGE via Shutterstock