Super Bowl LX Road Closures Expand: Major SoMa and Bay Bridge Delays This Thursday

Super Bowl LX Security Zones and Bay Bridge Work Impact Thursday Commute
Commuters in San Francisco should anticipate significant traffic shifts today, Thursday, February 5, 2026, as the city ramps up operations for Super Bowl LX. With major fan experiences centered at the Moscone Center and the Ferry Building, several new road closures are taking effect, complicating travel through SoMa and the Embarcadero. Officials are strongly advising residents to utilize public transit as vehicle access in the downtown core becomes increasingly restricted.
Major Road Closures and Security Perimeters
Starting at 10:00 a.m. today, Minna Street between New Montgomery and 3rd Street will be closed to all through traffic to accommodate security for the Super Bowl Experience. This closure is expected to remain in place through Monday. Additionally, a late-night closure on Jones Street, between McAllister Street and Golden Gate Avenue, begins at 11:00 p.m. tonight to prepare for upcoming fan events near the Hibernia.
- SoMa District: Howard, Mission, and 4th Streets continue to experience heavy rolling lane restrictions. These streets are primarily serving as pedestrian plazas and transit-only corridors near the Moscone Center hubs.
- The Embarcadero: Significant parking restrictions are now active along Spear and Drumm Streets. Motorists should expect lane reductions on the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building to accommodate temporary event infrastructure.
- Pier 80 Area: Illinois Street remains closed to through traffic for the NFL Culture Club festivities, impacting industrial traffic near the waterfront.
Bay Bridge and Highway Maintenance
Beyond the event-related congestion, Caltrans is moving forward with essential bridge maintenance. Motorists heading toward the East Bay should be aware of a planned daytime closure of Lane 1 on Eastbound I-80, specifically the segment approaching the Yerba Buena Island Tunnel, from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Over the overnight hours, the 1st Street on-ramp to the Bay Bridge will be closed from midnight to 7:00 a.m. Friday morning.
Ongoing rehabilitation of the U.S. 101 and I-80 viaducts is also causing intermittent delays near the Hospital Curve and the Central Freeway. While some work is being paused near the Moscone Center during peak hours, the reduction in available lanes elsewhere continues to bottleneck traffic during the morning and afternoon peaks.
Public Transport and Transit Alerts
To support the surge in ridership, the SFMTA is increasing frequency on key lines. Starting at 3:00 p.m. today, extra "S Shuttle" trains will begin running on the Central Subway between Chinatown-Rose Pak and Marin Street. This service is designed to move visitors between the northern waterfront and the SoMa event hubs.
- BART: Track modernization work will cause up to 30-minute delays after 9:00 p.m. tonight for those traveling between Millbrae/SFO and San Bruno stations. On a positive note, free Wi-Fi 6E is now live at the Embarcadero, Powell, and Civic Center stations.
- Muni Reroutes: Bus lines 5, 5R, and 27 will begin minor diversions late tonight near Jones Street. Local access and standard Muni service will be maintained on Mission and 4th Streets despite the general traffic bans.
- Capitol Corridor: Service remains reduced through the end of the month; commuters should verify their specific train numbers as several daily departures have been cancelled.
Commuters can stay informed by texting "SUPERBOWLSF" to 888-777 for real-time alerts and should allow for at least 30 to 45 minutes of extra travel time if crossing the city by car.