San Francisco commuters prepare for major traffic disruptions as APEC summit looms
San Francisco -- As the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference draws near, Bay Area commuters will soon be dealing with significant disruption to their daily routines.
Chopper footage showed crews on Mission Street late Thursday morning setting up fencing and barricades near the Moscone Center, where security is going to be extremely tight.
Daly City resident Alicia Baca will face a challenging commute from home to her workplace at Mission Street and 4th Street. Normally, the journey takes about 20 minutes, which can extend to 30 to 35 minutes during heavier traffic.
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"We still don't know if we'll be able to open. I think we will, but if we don't open, then I don't need to come. But if we have to work, the plan would be to take BART and not drive because it's going to be a nightmare to drive in this area," Baca explained.
This Thursday, Alicia and her boss, Celine Nasser-Elddin, were taken aback when security fences suddenly appeared along 4th Street. This unexpected development served as a prelude to what the entire area around the Moscone Center would face next week - complete closure for traffic, except for local residents.
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"Getting around is gonna be a little different during APEC. There will be challenges, and we will be sharing this information as we go," warned Mary Ellen Carroll, Director of the Department of Emergency Management.
The Emergency Operation Center has become a focal point for real-time information dissemination about navigating the city during APEC.
"We expect to be very busy. We're gonna be troubleshooting issues, especially in the communities closest to the impacted areas, making sure people have access, making sure services that are essential still happen. We have two purposes, one is to support the event and the second is ensuring government continuity," Carroll said.
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But frustration simmers among business owners like Nasser-Elddin.
"Oh man, terrible communication. Originally we heard Saturday [they] will start closing things down, but it's Thursday! The weekend hasn't even hit yet and streets are already shut down. It's gonna be really difficult for the city, at least in this area, for people to make some money and get some people out here," she said.
"We have to work. We have to generate income, both business owners and us as workers, and we'll wait to see what happens," Baca said.
