Overview
- Muni and city agencies reported severe overloads after the July 4 fireworks, with SFMTA logging about 41,000 more boardings than last year and shuttle trips that normally take 30 minutes stretching two to three times longer.
- Roads around the Marina, Presidio and Fisherman’s Wharf gridlocked for hours, forcing many people to walk long distances to BART only to miss trains and pay for costly rideshares home.
- Dozens of Waymo vehicles reportedly stalled in the Presidio, some draining their batteries and needing tow trucks, and at least two cars ran over lit fireworks with one catching fire, prompting Mayor Daniel Lurie to ask state regulators for stricter AV limits at major events.
- SFMTA officials said mixed‑traffic buses and short shuttle runs could not absorb the surge and that illegal driving in transit lanes, crashes, and stalled AVs worsened delays; the agency is conducting a full review and has apologized.
- Commentary and advocates are pushing two tracks of reform: near‑term event rules such as transit‑only corridors and restricted private vehicle access, and long‑term capital investment in grade‑separated rail like a Central Subway extension to serve the northern waterfront.