Bay Bridge | Streetsblog San Francisco

Bay Bridge Closure Temporarily Tames Some of SF’s Worst Traffic Sewers

Viaducts leading to the Bay Bridge were empty today but for construction vehicles. Photo: Michael Rhodes

The streets of SoMa were eerily silent today, in the words of one resident, who took a break from working at home to enjoy walking his dog down a pleasantly calm Harrison Street. Gone was the persistent hum of Bay Bridge traffic, both overhead and on feeder streets. The first Bay Bridge workday closure since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake seemed to bring an unusual tranquility to SoMa's worst traffic sewers.

Down the block, at Gabby Café, owner Sam Adam said the reduced traffic was a welcome relief. If it were always this way, Adam said, it would be fine with him. "If it stays that way, it's much better anyway," since cars are noisy and dusty.

He wasn't concerned about lost customers, since his store mostly serves a neighborhood clientele. "From traffic, we don't get any business."

Next door, at Shine Cleaners, Inna Daniliuk echoed that sentiment. "It's Friday as usual," said Daniliuk, who hasn't heard any complaints from customers about the bridge closure. "Almost all the customers live in this area."