Howard Street Signal Work and Powell Street Repairs Lead Monday’s Traffic Challenges

Morning Commute Overview

Commuters in San Francisco should prepare for a mix of surface street delays and late-night transit adjustments this Monday, March 2, 2026. While major freeway arteries remain largely open this morning, significant utility and streetscape projects in the downtown core and the North Beach area are expected to slow travel times for those driving through the city center.

Major Roadworks and Surface Street Delays

Several long-term infrastructure projects are entering critical phases this week, impacting key corridors:

• Howard Street Construction: As part of the Transbay Howard Streetscape Project, crews are active between The Embarcadero and 4th Street. Expect intermittent lane closures and delays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as workers install new traffic signal infrastructure and landscaping.
• Main Street Improvements: Vital infrastructure work continues on Main Street between Market and Howard streets. Drivers should anticipate narrowed lanes and localized congestion near the Salesforce Transit Center.
• Powell Street Concrete Work: In North Beach, Esquivel Grading & Paving crews are active on Powell Street between Francisco and Filbert streets. Block-by-block concrete work is currently underway, which may restrict street parking and through-traffic in the immediate area.
• Fremont Street Sidewalks: While the Transit U Improvement Project has completed work on First Street, preliminary activity is beginning on Fremont Street between Market and Mission. Watch for temporary sidewalk diversions.

Highway and Interchange Updates

Caltrans continues its "Fab 4" rehabilitation program on US-101 and I-80. While no full weekend closures are in effect today, motorists should be aware of the ongoing "Hairball" area interchange improvements at Cesar Chavez Street and Potrero Avenue. Minor striping and traffic-calming work are scheduled, potentially causing short-term friction during the mid-day hours. Additionally, the 19th Avenue (SR-1) paving project is currently in a demobilization phase, but drivers should still exercise caution near previous work zones as the contractor prepares for spring paving.

Public Transport and BART Alerts

Public transit riders face a dual challenge of service upgrades and significant agency budget discussions:

• BART SFO/Millbrae Delays: If you are traveling to or from San Francisco International Airport tonight, be advised that train control modernization work will cause 30-minute delays between Millbrae and SFO starting at 9:00 p.m.
• Muni Geary Relocations: Construction at various locations along the Geary corridor has forced the temporary relocation of several stops for the 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid. Riders are advised to look for orange signage indicating the nearest active boarding area.
• Transit Budget Crisis: Both SFMTA and BART are currently holding public hearings regarding massive structural deficits. Commuters are encouraged to check for potential future service-cut announcements as both agencies navigate "doomsday" financial planning for the coming fiscal year.