Obama Expected to Slow Traffic Again With Friday Bay Area Visit

Bay Area Traffic (Justin Sullivan / Getty)
Justin Sullivan / Getty

President Barack Obama will head to San Francisco on Friday, en route from his 22nd visit to Southern California, to speak to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and attend several Democratic fundraisers. However, the Secret Service’s reluctance to share specifics as to what time and precise areas he will be in, for reasons of security, is likely to cause tremendous gridlock and painful traffic.

Obama’s visit to Los Angeles coincided with 2016 Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s visit to the region as well.

Based on the limited information made available to the media, it is likely that U.S. 101 North will be moving at a turtle’s pace sometime during the early afternoon, which is when Obama is due to land at SFO on Air Force One, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

He is scheduled to speak to the U.S. Conference of the Mayors at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square sometime before 3 p.m., and the Chronicle has cautioned drivers to avoid O’Farrell, Mason, Ellis and Taylor Streets due to anticipated gridlock. Clinton will reportedly also be present for the conference, which is set to take place between Friday and Monday and will gather over 280 mayors from across the nation.

After that, Obama will head to several private fundraisers in Sea Cliff via an undisclosed route (good luck to drivers there) before he reclines sometime during the evening hours at his usual spot, the Intercontinental Hotel. Traffic in thee South of Market neighborhood will become increasingly worse.

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