Everyone, locals and tourists alike, loves the view from Vista Point, the observation area on the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. But it's going to be a lot more difficult for people to access those scenes during the days leading up to the Super Bowl, according to a report in the Marin Independent Journal. Golden Gate Bridge officials announced that Vista Point will be closed to most vehicles from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from this Friday through game day (February 7).
According to the Marin IJ, the only way to reach the beloved outlook between those hours is to go by bus, taxi, or a ride service such as Uber or Lyft. It will not be open to private cars. Kary Witt, the Golden Gate Bridge manager, told the newspaper: "Based on indications of the large number of people who are coming to the Bay Area, we are very concerned about traffic operations being impacted. We expect the crowd to rival what we see on big days at the height of tourist season, which is 22,000 people." Witt pointed out that, since the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee called out the spot as a bucket list destination, it could be even more popular than usual.
Judging from recent history, there's a reason to worry. As we reported late last year, during the winter holiday season, there were hours-long delays due to motorists queuing up to find parking in the 125-car lot.
· Marin's Vista Point will have Traffic Restrictions During Super Bowl Period [Marin IJ]
· Traffic-Stopping Views of SF Too Pretty For Their Own Good [Curbed SF]
· Super Bowl 2016 Curbed Coverage [Curbed SF]