A piece of the heart of San Francisco – its cable cars – is taking a pause
SAN FRANCISCO – Traveling to San Francisco will be harder and less appealing for parts of September, just as the fog recedes and the weather becomes picture-perfect.
The city’s iconic cable cars, subject of tourist fascination and even song inspiration, will be out of commission for 10 days starting Friday as they undergo repairs that are part of a threeyear restoration project.
The disappointment for visitors even might surpass the aggravation many people will experience merely to arrive in the city.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has shut down one of its runways for long-planned reconstruction that will extend through Sept. 26, prompting airlines to cancel hundreds of flights and delay others.
The City by the Bay typically ranks among the top 10 tourist destinations in the United States and, in 2018, SFO was the eighth-busiest airport in the nation with more than 470,000 flights, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration.
It might seem counterintuitive for city officials to plan major repairs in September, San Francisco’s warmest month at an average temperature of 70 degrees, but the work is scheduled between the busy travel stretches in the summer and the holidays.
Adrienne Hollifield of Black Mountain, North Carolina, and two of her relatives were happy to join the estimated 7.5 million passengers a year who board the cable cars, which were registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
“We thought it was really lovely,” Hollifield, 68, said of the hilly ride. “Part of the (San Francisco) experience.”
Well, most of the time. At least the Golden Gate Bridge is still open.