Watch CBS News

Rockslide Danger Closes O'Shaughnessy Boulevard In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The threat of rockslides on O'Shaughnessy Boulevard in San Francisco Wednesday due to the latest storm system required San Francisco Public Works to temporarily close the road.

The rocky slope in danger of sliding is situated on the west side of O'Shaughnessy across from Glen Canyon Park. Local access will be retained from Portola Drive to Del Vale Avenue and from Bosworth Street to Malta Court.

However, the stretch between Malta and Del Vale streets temporarily will be off limits to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, according to a statement released by SF Public Works.

The closure will allow crews to work on stabilizing the hillside to make it safe. All traffic, including the 44-O'Shaughnessy Muni bus line, will be detoured.

Work crews will begin knocking loose rock off of the hillside starting Thursday. New fencing and barricades will also be installed. The road shut down early Wednesday afternoon so crews could start mobilizing. The goal is to have the work wrapped up and the road reopened by Friday evening, officials said.

A small rockslide forced a brief closure of O'Shaughnessy last weekend during the storm. Geotechnical engineers and geologists were brought in to assess the undeveloped hillside for potential rockslides. They recommended that loose rocks near the top be knocked away in a controlled manner.

With the latest round of rain underway, Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru declared an emergency to allow the necessary work to begin immediately.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.