SF's Broadway Tunnel to be shut down Sunday for about 24 hours as crews begin 14-month long project

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The flow of traffic through San Francisco's Broadway Tunnel will come to a halt on Sunday as crews work on upgrades to the Chinatown Public Health Center.

The Broadway Tunnel will close at 7 a.m. on Sunday and partially reopen at 5 a.m. on Monday.

After that, traffic will be reduced, with just one bore of the tunnel handling vehicles in both directions.

"In order to support the project the Broadway tunnel will be closed this Sunday through the very early hours of Monday morning open for for the work commute," said Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA Director of Transportation.

The center, which sits above the eastern entrance to the tunnel, is getting a $76 million seismic upgrade.

The tunnel is also getting a new roadway, pedestrian walkways, and led lights.

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The 14-month long project is expected to cause major traffic delays, but SFMTA says they have plan to help mitigate the backup.

"In addition to having strong transit options for people to take, we will also have big digital message signs making it clear to drivers what their choices are when they are driving, but we do encourage folks to take a little extra time as this is big change for the neighborhood," said Kirschbaum.

And the San Francisco Unified School District is asking the same of families with kids going back to school in the area next week.

"We're just asking families to have a little extra patience and spend a little extra time to get to school little more time to get to school," said Dr. Maria Su, SFUSD Superintendent.

Parents can also expect there to be changes to school bus times depending on their routes.

"We have been working with SFMTA and our bus service providers to reroute the buses for students," Dr. Su said. "We're working with our partners to make sure that students are going to be safe and on school on time and ready to learn."

Meanwhile, businesses in Chinatown are bracing for gridlock.

"I am really concerned about the area," said Edward Siu, Chinatown Merchants United Association Chairman. He says the concern extends beyond the project, keeping locals away.

"The first thing is the tourists, they are driving in Chinatown, and see the congestion, why would they want to come in here?," he said. "I believe it will scare a lot of people from Chinatown and it will cut down on business."