U.S. Open neighborhood survival guide
The U.S. Open golf tournament starts Thursday in San Francisco at the Olympic Club’s Lakeside course, and the flood of spectators, media and service vehicles could pose traffic and transit problems.
The Olympic Club’s Lakeside golf course stretches nearly from the shore of Lake Merced to the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean near Fort Funston. And with thousands of people expected to attend the U.S. Open through Sunday, traffic and transit could be difficult in the city’s southwest corner.
Tournament play is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. If there is a tie for the lead at the end of play Sunday the tournament will hold a playoff round starting at 9 a.m. Monday, according to officials.
U.S. Open traffic and parking
- Tournament organizers are relying heavily on shuttles to minimize traffic and parking effects on the area near the Olympic Club, so local drivers, cyclists and pedestrians should expect to share the road with more of these vehicles than usual, as well as drivers dropping off spectators.
- The U.S. Open will not provide parking at the Olympic Club. Instead, spectators who drive to the tournament will be required to park at Candlestick Park in San Francisco’s southeast corner and take a free shuttle.
- Spectators can be dropped off by drivers, including taxis and limousines, at the Westlake Park Community Center off of Lake Merced Boulevard in Daly City. However, cars will not be permitted to park or wait for passengers.
- Free shuttle service will run from the Colma BART station to the Olympic Club.
- John Muir Drive on the southwest side of Lake Merced will be closed for the duration of the tournament.
- Other areas that may see slow traffic during the U.S. Open, based on access to the Olympic Club, include southbound Great Highway from Sloat Boulevard south to Sklyine Boulevard; Skyline Boulevard from about the Great Highway to John Daly Boulevard in Daly City; and Lake Merced Boulevard from Sunset Boulevard to about John Daly Boulevard in Daly City.
U.S. Open Muni and transit impacts
Muni’s 18-46th Avenue line is the only line expected to experience significant impacts due to the U.S. Open, according to Muni. The 18 normally runs on John Muir Drive to get from Stonestown to its northern terminus at the Legion of Honor in the Richmond District, but with John Muir closed the bus will detour onto John Daly Boulevard in Daly City before continuing north on Sklyine Boulevard. The blog Akit’s Complaint Department has published a map showing the temporary route, plus other information on traffic and transit.
The 18-46th Avenue bus also will provide transit service to the U.S. Open. The 1100 Lake Merced Blvd. stop is the closest to the tournament, near the John Muir Gate.
More information from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency:
| Route Affected | Stops Affected | Alternate Stops |
|---|---|---|
| 18 46th Avenue inbound toward the Richmond District |
|
|
| 18 46th Avenue outbound toward San Francisco State University | Possible delays | None |
U.S. Open bicycle access
Bicycle parking is available at the west end of the pedestrian bridge across the southeast tip of Lake Merced. The bike parking is a short walk away from the John Muir Gate to the golf course.
One thing not mentioned here is that Skyline Blvd is also close from John Daly Blvd North. Yesterday we got diverted from John Muir drive Southward and turned right to go to Skyline and come in from the South. Unfortunately, we were forced to turn left at Skyline. We had to drive an extra 30 miles to get South to the freeway, back North to 19th ave, and come in from the North at Lincoln.
This was all in heavy traffic and took over an hour. The event route was not posted on the streets prior and the detours were poorly managed. Avoid the Lake Merced area at all costs.
Thanks for the info, FB.