Alcatraz Island Closes for Dock Repairs Starting October 26: Closed Through November 18, Ticket Holders May Refund or Reschedule
Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay Area will close to visitors starting October 26 for replacement of the piles supporting its ferry dock, with the closure expected to last through November 18. The National Park Service said the work is the final phase of repairs, replacing the last two piles that hold the floating ferry dock in place; the island had previously closed in January after a pile broke, and again for six days in April for related work, while this round is a full replacement rather than routine maintenance. The project is funded and carried out by Alcatraz City Cruises, the National Park Service's concessioner, and the schedule may be adjusted for weather and other factors. Because the dock is the actual point of access to the island, the repairs affect regular visits to the whole island rather than to a single exhibit hall or building; the main prison building, the historic cellhouse, and the island's scenery will all be unreachable by regular ferry during the closure. The National Park Service said visitors who booked affected sailings will be notified and can choose a refund, reschedule their visit to the island, or switch on some dates to a San Francisco Bay discovery cruise. Located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Alcatraz Island draws large numbers of visitors every year, and the safety of the dock piles bears directly on the reliability of ferry berthing; the repairs are meant to ensure safe public access once the island reopens, and visitors planning a trip should confirm the status of their bookings before making arrangements.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 恶魔岛（资料图）。摄影：Mike Peel，CC BY-SA 4.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco (file photo). Credit: Mike Peel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
