Removal of the Embarcadero Freeway after the 1989 earthquake

The double-deck Embarcadero Freeway that ran in front of the Ferry Building was heavily damaged in the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and was subsequently demolished. Its removal in the early 1990s reopened waterfront views and enabled the Embarcadero boulevard and public promenade redevelopment. The change altered traffic patterns and is credited with revitalizing the Ferry Building and adjacent waterfront areas.