A significant portion of 19th Avenue will be closed for 70 hours this weekend as Caltrans initiates the first of three extended closures to repave one of San Francisco’s most heavily traveled north-south routes. The northbound lanes of 19th Avenue (State Route 1) between Sloat Boulevard and Lincoln Way will shut down on Friday, April 24 at 7 a.m. and remain closed until Monday, April 27 at 5 a.m. Only one lane will stay open, but it will be reserved exclusively for public transit, emergency responders, and local access.
This work is part of the second and final phase of the 19th Avenue Rehabilitation Project, which aims to repave approximately 18.8 lane miles between Lincoln Way and Holloway Avenue. By grouping the work into three weekend shutdowns, Caltrans claims the overall impact has been reduced from 40 days to just 10 days. However, residents who live and work near 19th Avenue are bracing for another weekend of traffic congestion, especially after last weekend’s 55-hour closure on eastbound I80.
“It’s never ending,” said one driver as cars moved through the corridor on Thursday. Another added, “It’s always something!” Christian Rietta, who lives in SoMa but was running errands near 19th Avenue, mentioned that last weekend’s I80 closure pushed traffic deep into neighborhood streets. “All the traffic filtered into side streets. We literally couldn’t get out,” he said. He expects the Sunset District to feel the biggest impact this time around.
His advice to residents is to stay local, stay at home, and go places within walking distance. He also suggests doing grocery shopping now, as driving is going to be difficult during the closure.
Caltrans has scheduled the following shutdowns:
- April 24-27: A 70-hour closure of northbound 19th Avenue from Sloat Blvd. to Lincoln Way.
- May 8-11: A 70-hour closure of southbound 19th Avenue from Lincoln Way to Sloat Blvd.
- May 22-25 (Memorial Day weekend): A 75-hour closure of both directions from Sloat Blvd. to Holloway Ave.
During these closures, parking on 19th Avenue will be restricted to work zones, but parking on side streets will remain available.
The rehabilitation project includes resurfacing the roadway, repairing potholes, and upgrading traffic detection systems. Residents say the improvements are overdue. Caltrans noted that last weekend’s media coverage helped drivers plan ahead and even boosted BART ridership. The agency hopes for a similar shift this weekend.
Caltrans is urging drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes. Some suggested detours include:
For Junipero Serra Boulevard traffic:
– Right onto Junipero Serra Blvd.
– Left on Sloat Blvd.
– Right on Sunset Blvd.
– Right on Lincoln Way
– Left on 25th Ave.
– Right on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
– Left onto 19th Avenue/SR1
For Brotherhood Way traffic:
– Westbound on Brotherhood Way
– Right on Lake Merced Blvd.
– Right to Sunset Blvd.
– Right on Lincoln Way
– Left on 25th Ave.
– Right on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
– Left onto 19th Avenue/SR1
For more information, visit the project page or check real-time traffic updates through Caltrans QuickMap and 511 Bay Area updates.
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