Highway 101 South Closes to Repave in Mission
Drivers in San Francisco's Mission District should plan detours for the southbound lane shutdown from Nov. 6 to Nov. 9.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Home Renovation
Caltrans will close all four southbound lanes of Highway 101 in San Francisco's Mission District from 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, to 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, for repaving. Drivers heading south should plan around the weekend closure and the posted detours.
Why it matters
Transportation planners are working to extend the useful life of a freeway segment that is 70 years old, and the weekend shutdown lets crews complete the work without daily lane restrictions. For San Francisco commuters, the closure changes weekend travel routes, on-ramp access and the traffic pattern on nearby streets.
The closure covers the construction zone from 17th Street to Cesar Chavez Street, with on-ramps at Fourth, Seventh and 10th streets blocked. The connector from westbound Interstate 80 to Highway 101 north is also closed to drivers during the work window.
The players
Caltrans
The California Department of Transportation, which maintains state highways including Highway 101 and manages the Hospital Curve rehabilitation work.
The details
Caltrans has mapped detours that send southbound motorists from Fifth Street in SoMa onto Interstate 280 or down Harrison Street and Potrero Avenue. The closure is part of a larger Hospital Curve overhaul that includes drainage repair, layers of fresh concrete and a new median barrier. This weekend's shutdown is the latest installment of that rehabilitation project, which is set to continue through 2028.
Timeline
11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, 2026: Southbound Highway 101 closure begins.
6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, 2026: Southbound Highway 101 closure ends.
2028: Hospital Curve overhaul is expected to finish.
The Home Front
The closure is a reminder that aging Bay Area freeway infrastructure is being rebuilt in stages rather than all at once. Households near the Mission and SoMa should expect repaving-related traffic shifts to continue on and off until the project wraps up.
If you live in or near the Mission District, plan weekend errands and any Friday night or Saturday trips around the detours from Fifth Street. Check Caltrans traffic updates before you leave, since on-ramp access at Fourth, Seventh and 10th streets will be unavailable.
The takeaway
Freeway repairs like this one run on fixed weekend windows, so building the detour routes into your weekend plans will save time. Keep the November 6 to 9 dates on your calendar if you commute or host visitors in the Mission or SoMa.
What happens next
Southbound Highway 101 reopens at 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, once the weekend repaving is complete. Hospital Curve work is scheduled to continue through 2028.
Further reading
For more on local projects that reshape neighborhood life, browse our Home Renovation coverage.
