SFMTA provides free parking at 3 garages and free Muni to residents impacted by APEC

(SAN FRANCISCO) The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit officially began on November 11, Saturday, and continues until November 19. Local residents of the San Francisco Bay Area have experienced long delay by driving on the streets and freeways.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced a new offer by providing free parking at three downtown garages for impacted motorists who live in the nearby neighborhoods.

"To offset parking impacts of this special event, the SFMTA is providing free parking at the following lots, pausing street sweeping on neighboring streets and providing free Muni," SFMTA said in the announcement which was posted online lately.

Three SFMTA garages which provide free parking during APEC Summit include Sutter/Stockton Garage, Golden Gateway Garage, and Japan Center Garage.

Sutter/Stockton Garage and Golden Gateway Garage will let motorists park for free from noon on November 14 to noon on November 16. Motorists are required to show ID or proof of residence in two zip codes, 94111 and 94133.

People can ride Muni for free if they can also provide ID or proof of address for boarding the 1-California, 12-Folsom/Pacific, and F-Market & Wharves in two same zip codes, 94111 and 94133.

There will be no parking along the California Street and Pine Street corridors, and some adjacent side streets. Residents in the neighborhoods can park their vehicles at three public garages, Japan Center Garage, Sutter/Stockton Street Garage, and Golden Gateway Garage, for free from noon on November 15 to noon on November 17 by showing ID or proof of residencies in zip codes, 94108, 94109, 94115, at Chinatown, Nob Hill and Japantown neighborhoods.

Residents at the above neighborhoods may ride Muni buses for free by boarding the 1-California, 1X-California Express, 2-Sutter, 38-Geary, 38R-Geary Rapid. The zip codes for free muni service are 94108, 94109, 94115, 94118, 94121 which include Chinatown, Nob Hill, Japantown, and Richmond neighborhoods.

Although city officials have anticipated the APEC would bring in more revenues for the small businesses in the city. But all businesses and restaurants in the downtown corridors, including Chinatown, SOMA, Mission, have seen much fewer customers patronized. Most customers tried to avoid the traffic congestion due to the security zones related to APEC.

SFMTA advised members of the public to visit its multilingual web page, https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/traveling-and-chinatown-during-apec, which provides information on how to take Muni to go to Chinatown during the APEC week from Nov. 11-19.

If motorists come from San Mateo County or South Bay, they can drive north to the west side of the city and enter Chinatown from the North, according to the business community in Chinatown.

If you need to go to the east side of San Francisco from the south, you can take 280 northbound and exit at Mariposa. Motorists can come to Chinatown by driving on 7th Street North through the Tenderloin neighborhood instead of downtown.

The SOMA security zone is surrounded by 2nd, Harrison Street, 5th, and Market Streets.