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Muni's Power Lines May Be Removed From Market Street During Super Bowl 50

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Super Bowl organizers aren't ready to talk about it, but word has leaked that they want to take down Muni's wires that power electric buses and streetcars around Justin Herman Plaza for several blocks around what will become San Francisco's Super Bowl City.

"I know there's a proposal out there to remove the overhead wires for MUNI on Market Street during the Super Bowl festival. Which I think would be a tremendous imposition," Supervisor Jane Kim said.

These are the wires in question and these are the buses they power.

"Nothing has been decided yet. We are working with the MTA to make sure that any overhead wires don't interfere with any of the instillations that may be at the Super Bowl City site," the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee's Nathan Ballard said.

They're talking about stuff like games and activities at the fan village set to run for eight days before the game in Santa Clara February 7th.

Wires may get in the way. And they don't all that good either.

"We haven't got an estimate on how much it would cost to take down the wires and then put them back up, but we're hearing it will be 7 figures. That better not come from taxpayer dollars," Kim said.

Though there was no commitment this particular expense would come from privately raised money, Ballard says, "one of the things we're committed to as the Super Bowl host committee is minimizing any extra expense for the city and county of San Francisco."

There are already plans to re-route some Muni buses and streetcars away from Super Bowl City.

That plan will be in place for more than a week during the festivities.

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