Motorists and pedestrians broke through roadblocks and barriers around San Francisco’s Moscone Center during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. began SATURDAY.
While traffic was light around Moscone at Howard and Third streets, police stood next to sturdy black fencing about 10 feet high blocking streets leading to the center.
Near the Starbucks on Fourth Street next to Target, where the lobby windows were closed Saturday morning, a couple asked a police officer if they could get past the barricade to get to their hotel. She said that was not possible and that it would be closed all week. Target remained open for business.
Police at Fourth and Mission streets let Muni buses pass, but ordered other traffic trying to get down Fourth to turn left or right. On the Fourth, dozens of piles of barricades waited to be erected.
It was unclear Saturday what closures had been made for the duration of the event. City officials said earlier this week that they would make temporary closures if necessary during the preparation for APEC, but that exclusion zones in which pedestrian and vehicle access will be tightly controlled are expected to begin. Monday at Nob Hill and Tuesday near Moscone.
Security is located in an overhead walkway connecting two wings of the Moscone Center.
Stephen Lam/The ChronicleCrews had placed sections of heavy iron fencing in front of the Fifth and Mission/Yerba Buena garage, which is closed Saturday through Friday, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Cable car lines on Powell Street will begin being rerouted from the cable car barn to Fisherman’s Wharf on Sunday rather than Monday as originally planned, the supervisor said. Aaron Peskin » published Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, citing secret service orders.
Road closures and major detours are not expected to begin until Monday, but security barriers have caused problems. traffic nightmares For days.
Major street closures are planned in two vehicle exclusion zones, one in an area defined by Market and Harrison streets and Second and Fifth streets, and one at the top of Nob Hill. Only authorized vehicles will be admitted and all must undergo security checks, just like bicycles and scooters. Pedestrians will be allowed in areas but excluded from areas closest to the event locations.
Michael Cabanatuan contributed to this report.
To contact Danielle Echeverria: [email protected]; Twitter: @DanielleEchev