Doyle Drive construction embarks on big milestone
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- We're just two days away from the closure of San Francisco's Doyle Drive. The closure starts Thursday night and will last until Monday morning.
It's a $1.4 billion project that began in 2009. Doyle Drive -- the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge -- is old, was built in 1936, and was not up to earthquake standards.
Commuters were shifted to a temporary bypass three years ago and have been able to glimpse work leading up to a permanent replacement roadway.
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ABC7 News took an up close look at the work. There are new tunnels, high and low viaducts, and wider lanes. Now comes the round the clock work to get what will be called Presidio Parkway open on Monday.
Project manager Ron Richardson told ABC7 News, "That's a lot of work in a short period of time and because it's a special concrete, we have to excavate out, do a bunch of compaction work, put base material in, cast this concrete. That takes time."
His crew is planning to get it done by closing Doyle Drive from Thursday night at 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Monday. That means there will be a big traffic mess for the 100,000 daily commuters.
The Golden Gate Bridge to Highway 1/19th Avenue will remain open, but expect major delays. There will be no access to Highway 101 from Marina Boulevard or Lombard Street. Officials are advising commuters to take buses, ferries, or the Bay Bridge.
"Monday morning there will be a new driving experience, new access to the Presidio, new access to the Marina and the connections between Highway 1 and 101 will be open. They've been closed since 2010," project spokesperson Molly Graham said.
Even after the new roadway opens there will be work until 2016.
A couple of lanes will be closed overnight, starting from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., so crews can install overhead signs for the Doyle Drive project.
Closure Quick Facts
