Doyle Drive closure begins Thursday night

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- If you plan to drive from San Francisco to Marin County this weekend, the trip will likely be a headache as Doyle Drive shuts down from Thursday through Monday. Big backups are expected.

The hard closure is at 10 p.m. but the closing process started at 8 p.m. So don't wait until the last minute, if you're driving between the North Bay and San Francisco.

This is a $1.4 billion project that started in 2009 for upgrades the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, built in 1936. It was not up to earthquake standards.

After this 79-hour closure, which will be a headache, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. There will be a tunnel for each direction of traffic, instead of both directions of traffic going through one tunnel.

"Avoid the Golden Gate corridor entirely if you can. A lot of people can't so the Golden Gate Bridge still has their bus transit for Friday commuters and some people, if they're allowed, if they're able they're taking the day off or taking flex time and working from home," Molly Graham, the project spokesperson, said.

The CHP says parking lots on both sides of the Golden Gate Bridge will be closed, so that can cause some confusion for people visiting the area. They're also advising drivers make sure your car is prepared to sit in traffic and won't break down.

"Most of us who live and work in this area know the different ways you can get through the Presidio and San Francisco. This weekend, all those roads are going to be filled with people. Any little short cut you think you have is going to be filled with people," CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.

You can take the short cut along Crissy Field, past Sports Basement, but assume it will be bumper-to-bumper.

Closure Quick Facts

Download the Waze traffic app to help you navigate around the traffic: Click here for more information

Click here for full coverage on the Doyle Drive closure.