San Francisco Looks At Removing Some Parking Spaces To Accommodate Tech Shuttles
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- Shuttle buses for people who work in the tech industry have made Muni riders mad and have been the subject of protests. A plan to accommodate the shuttles could lead to fewer available parking spaces.
The city now wants to work with the shuttles. During an 18-month test period, the corporate shuttles will have to pay $1 a stop, that will raise an estimated $1.5 million a year.
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To make room for them, Muni wants to expand some bus stops, and that means eliminating parking spaces.
Among them, three spaces at a stop in the Alamo Square neighborhood would be removed.
"Yeah, I think the parking is pretty competitive in this neighborhood already. So I don't think we really need like another bus stop," said Alamo Square resident Wright Yang.
Aviva Cusher, also an Alamo Square resident, said finding a space here is already impossible. "It usually takes about 45 minutes minimum," she said.
Taking away parking is adding to the hate some already feel toward the Silicon Valley workers. Some earlier protests targeting the buses blame the workers for the city's rising rents and evictions.
Muni argues only 35 spaces in various neighborhoods will be lost during the commute hours.
"So what we're trying to do is to make sure that our transportation network can move more efficiently and only affecting less than .01 percent of all parking in the city," said Muni spokesperson Paul Rose.
Neighbors have started an online petition and some plan to complain at a public hearing on Thursday.
"This neighborhood has just gotten worse and worse, and for them to take away any more parking spots in Alamo Square is just going to be a nightmare," said resident Kelly Edwards.
The pilot program with the corporate shuttle buses is set to begin on August 1st.
