The northeast side of town will likely feel the effects of a yearlong construction project on the Larkin Street side of the Broadway Tunnel, which coincides with seismic upgrades taking place at the Chinatown Public Health Center above the tunnel’s eastern entrance.

The Broadway Tunnel was closed for 24 hours Sunday while construction crews prepared for an improvement project that's expected to last 14 months, as ABC 7 reports. Beginning Monday morning, vehicles will be sharing the westbound bore in both directions for the next seven months.

The West Broadway Tunnel Safety project is focused on slowing vehicle speeds and improving pedestrian and traffic safety near the tunnel's western entrance, which is located near Helen Wills Playground. The work includes narrower vehicle lanes, new signage, upgraded traffic signals at Broadway and Larkin, and other changes along Broadway between Polk and Powell streets.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority says digital message signs will alert drivers to changing conditions and alternate routes, and the agency is encouraging people to allow extra travel time and take public transit when possible.

The timing also coincides with the first day of school for San Francisco Unified School District students, with potential impacts on drop-off and pickup around Chinatown, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, and North Beach schools. Superintendent Dr. Maria Su urged families to plan ahead, according to KPIX.

“We're asking families to have a little extra patience and spend a little extra time to get to school,” Su said.

Residents are also concerned about traffic spilling onto nearby streets as drivers look for ways around the tunnel.

Larkin Street resident Baani Sharma told ABC 7 she suspects drivers heading to the Financial District will more frequently use neighborhood streets to avoid congestion.

“I feel like with one lane closure, all the back streets to get to the Financial District will get a lot worse. A seven-minute commute could take 40 minutes now,” she said.

The construction is reportedly happening alongside seismic upgrades at the Chinatown Public Health Center, which is located above the tunnel's eastern entrance.

Some Chinatown business owners say they understand the need for the work but are worried about the effect of slower traffic and difficult parking on their customers.

“They say they put up some kind of map on the website. Does that work? I don't think so,” said Edward Siu of the Chinatown Merchants United Association, speaking to KPIX. “Because we have a lot of tourists and visitors from outside. They won't be like the community, the people in San Francisco that know about it.”

Additionally, a two-year renovation of Chinatown's Portsmouth Square at Kearny and Washington streets began in June, which merchants say has caused a 60% drop in business.

The West Broadway Tunnel Project is funded through the Transportation Authority’s Neighborhood Program, with District 3 funds being used for improvements around the tunnel.

The Neighborhood Program provides each supervisorial district with $700,000 in Prop L transportation sales-tax funding over five years. Anyone can propose a project, with supervisors ultimately recommending which proposals receive funding for planning, design, construction, or to help secure other grants.

Related: First Major Overhaul of Chinatown’s Portsmouth Square In Decades Has Begun

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