Local
Alcatraz ferry dock repairs will sideline Pier 33 tours for three weeks
Alcatraz will close to visitors while crews repair pilings supporting its ferry dock, halting service from San Francisco’s Pier 33 through Nov. 19. Embarcadero vendors and pedicab operators say the loss of thousands of daily visitors will disrupt business.
Alcatraz Island is scheduled to close to visitors for about three weeks beginning Monday as the National Park Service repairs pilings that support the island’s ferry dock, suspending departures from San Francisco’s Pier 33 through Nov. 19.
The shutdown means no public tours, visits to the former prison’s cell house or private drop-offs while repairs are underway. The National Park Service said the work is needed to the dock’s supporting pilings. Customers with tickets for dates affected by the closure will receive refunds or be offered another tour date.
The interruption is expected to reduce foot traffic around Pier 33 by thousands of visitors a day, a concern for small businesses that rely on tourists. Carmen, owner of the nearby Nothing But Fruits stand, said she expects to lose a significant share of her business, though not all of it. She said business tends to suffer whenever Alcatraz closes.
The closure will also change how some workers operate along the waterfront. Jose D., a pedicab operator with Golden Gate Pedicabs, said he plans to adjust his routes rather than wait for customers near the ferry terminal.
“I won’t be stopping here. This is our zone and I won't be waiting here anymore, probably the next few weeks or so,” he said.
The repairs temporarily remove one of San Francisco’s major tourist draws, with effects reaching beyond the island to vendors and transportation workers who depend on visitors arriving at the waterfront.