Major Street Closures for Chinatown Fair and US-101 Lane Reductions Today

Sunday Commute Overview

Expect a mix of regional freeway delays and localized street closures today, Sunday, March 8, 2026. With the start of Daylight Saving Time this morning, commuters should be aware that all schedules have shifted forward by one hour. While Sunday mornings in San Francisco typically offer lighter traffic, major infrastructure projects on the US-101 and the second day of the Chinese New Year Community Street Fair will create significant bottlenecks throughout the day.

Chinatown Event Closures

The Chinese New Year Community Street Fair continues today from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the heart of Chinatown. Massive crowds are expected, and several key thoroughfares will remain closed to all vehicle traffic until 11:00 p.m. tonight. Drivers should avoid the northeast quadrant of the city if possible, as surrounding streets will experience heavy overflow congestion. Primary impacted areas include:

• Grant Avenue between California Street and Broadway.
• Pacific Avenue between Stockton Street and Columbus Avenue.
• Jackson Street and Washington Street between Stockton and Kearny streets.
• Secondary closures on Commercial, Beckett, Ross, Wentworth, and Spofford alleys.

Major Freeway Impacts on US-101

For those traveling to or from the Peninsula, Caltrans continues its heavy rehabilitation work on the US-101 Hospital Curve. Through early Monday morning, two lanes remain closed in both the northbound and southbound directions between Candlestick Park and Silver Avenue. This reduction in capacity is expected to cause significant delays for those heading toward the Bay Bridge or downtown destinations. Motorists are strongly encouraged to use I-280 as a primary alternative to bypass the Hospital Curve construction zone.

Additionally, starting at 10:00 p.m. tonight, specialized ramp closures will go into effect in the Hairball area. These include the Southbound US-101 off-ramp to eastbound Cesar Chavez Street and the Bayshore Boulevard off-ramp to eastbound Cesar Chavez. These closures are necessary for the installation of traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements.

Public Transport and BART Alerts

Muni riders will see several reroutes in effect to accommodate the festivities in Chinatown. The 8 Bayshore, 12 Folsom/Pacific, 30 Stockton, and 45 Union/Stockton lines will be utilizing alternate paths. The inbound 8 Bayshore stop at Kearny and Jackson remains temporarily closed and will not resume service until Monday morning. Passengers should look for temporary signage at nearby intersections for the closest active stops.

BART is currently operating on its standard Sunday schedule, but late-night travelers should take note of planned maintenance. Passengers traveling between Millbrae, SFO, and San Bruno should prepare for 20-to-30-minute delays starting after 9:00 p.m. tonight due to ongoing train control modernization work. Travelers are encouraged to check for real-time updates before heading to the station.