The environmental impact report for a proposed Warriors arena in Mission Bay "raises the specter of 'significant and unavoidable' traffic impacts all the way to the Bay Bridge," according to Matier & Ross of the S.F. CHRONICLE. According to the EIR, the 60-plus “peak” events a year at the arena "could draw more than 3,000 additional cars into the area." The result will "likely be 'a significant impact' on as many as 11 key intersections in the South of Market." It will also mean "'significant and unavoidable' backups on the already heavily used downtown freeway ramps," as well as on the ramps coming off I-280. The report also concluded that "'no feasible mitigations are available' to ease the problem -- at least from an infrastructure standpoint -- because there’s no room to widen the freeway ramps or city streets." Even if traffic officers help at downtown intersections, they "won’t be able to do much about the Bay Bridge." Anyone who tries to cross the bridge into S.F. before a Giants game, even on weekends, "knows how bad the backup can be now" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/27).
