More traffic tie-ups as Oracle OpenWorld begins in downtown SF

Scenes from Oracle OpenWorld in September 2016, when an entire block of Howard Street closes down for a four-day conference that's also an exercise in pop-up urban design. These photos are from Sept. 22, the final day, when many of the attendees already had departed. less Scenes from Oracle OpenWorld in September 2016, when an entire block of Howard Street closes down for a four-day conference that's also an exercise in pop-up urban design. These photos are from Sept. 22, the ... more Photo: John King, The Chronicle Photo: John King, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close More traffic tie-ups as Oracle OpenWorld begins in downtown SF 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Just as the morning commute into San Francisco was starting to return to normal — which is to say sluggish — Oracle OpenWorld has come to town, closing Howard Street between Third and Fourth streets.

It promises to snarl traffic South of Market throughout the week before the street reopens Saturday.

“There will be significant congestion in the area,” said Paul Rose, a spokesman for the Municipal Transportation Agency. “But there are ways to get around.”

As has become common with big conferences at Moscone Center, city officials have again agreed to convert the traffic lanes of a block of Howard Street into what’s essentially a park, lounge area and large crosswalk for participants making their way between the convention center buildings.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area and take public transportation or find alternative routes. Southbound drivers are advised to take Second Street to Harrison Street, or New Montgomery Street to Hawthorne Street to Folsom or Harrison streets. Bicyclists should take Second Street to Market Street or dismount on Third and Howard and walk on the north sidewalk to Fourth.

The closure for Oracle OpenWorld has taken place annually since 2006 and spread to other events. It’s the latest traffic headache in the South of Market neighborhood for drivers, bus riders and bicyclists, who have been vexed by road closures for most of September and October.

The closure of the Transbay Transit Center after the discovery of two cracked support girders shut Fremont Street between Mission and Howard streets for three weeks. It reopened last Monday. That followed a 20-day shutdown of Howard between Third and Fourth streets during the Global Climate Action Summit, convention center construction and the huge Salesforce Dreamforce conference.

About 60,000 people are expected to attend Oracle OpenWorld, which showcases Oracle owner Larry Ellison and the company’s products. It’s not nearly as big as the Dreamforce conference, which drew nearly 200,000 attendees and workers, and also closed Howard Street in addition to packing restaurants, bars and BART.

But it is certain to have an impact on traffic, especially during the morning commute, when traffic on Third Street is typically slow-moving. Even on Sunday at noon, well outside weekday commuting hours, Third Street was backed up and inching forward for two blocks.

Anne Scallon, 47, a San Francisco art teacher, emerged Sunday from the Museum of Modern Art and stared at the backed-up traffic and the closed street, covered in gray and red carpeting and dotted with shiny silver tables, some topped with red umbrellas.

“I guess money speaks,” she said when informed of the reason for the closure. “It seems like a good example of corporate money being put before the people’s needs. It’s disruptive to everyone not at the conference. It doesn’t seem necessary.”

City and tourism officials say the street closure helps tie together the three venues at the convention center and adds some needed space, especially this year, when the Moscone is under construction. The conference also fills hotels and nearby businesses. In 2017, Oracle says, OpenWorld generated $194 million in economic benefits to the Bay Area.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan