San Francisco leaders had a clear message for residents and visitors who wanted to catch the Fourth of July fireworks at the Golden Gate Bridge: Take transit.
But many of the 100,000 revelers who turned out for what was supposed to be a historic celebration apparently didn’t listen. And those who did catch Muni shuttles from the Powell and Embarcadero BART stations got trapped in jams so staggering that at one point workers with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency tried to dissuade people from taking the buses.
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“Due to unprecedented crowds and traffic in SF for the fireworks tonight, the Muni system is experiencing significant delays,” SFMTA posted on X at 8:46 p.m. Saturday, roughly 45 minutes before the show was set to begin.
“Muni riders waiting in line (at) Powell may miss the fireworks,” the post continued. “Please consider other forms of transp.: Walking, bicycling, scooter, taxis & rideshare.” The preshow snarls leading into the Presidio, Marina and other waterfront viewing spots were, in fact, a grim portent of the gridlock to come later…