Fleet Week visitors face parking crunch as SF pushes transit, restricts robotaxis

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As thousands of spectators pour into San Francisco for Fleet Week and the Blue Angels air show, city officials urge visitors to leave their cars at home and take public transit instead, while implementing strict parking and traffic controls along the waterfront.

Finding parking has become one of the biggest challenges for visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the air show.

"We're going in circles and circles; maybe we pay $50 for parking," said Marin County resident Jake Whelan, who spent part of the day searching for a spot near the waterfront.

For some attendees, the parking situation is more than an inconvenience.

Fabiola Garcia drove a group of seniors from a Castro Valley nursing facility to watch the air show, only to discover that parking options were far more limited than in previous years.

"We have a few residents from a nursing facility. We do this every year. We are used to parking being a little easier than this year," Garcia said.

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To prevent gridlock in one of the city's busiest tourist areas, San Francisco has established temporary "No Parking" zones along portions of the waterfront, including Jefferson Street near Fisherman's Wharf. Officials say the restrictions are designed to keep traffic moving as tens of thousands of spectators converge on viewing areas.

The high demand for parking was also driving up prices.

"I looked at SpotHero. It's outrageous. The only decent price was $60, and that was two miles away. Why do that?" said Daly City resident Katherine Ornido.

Transportation agencies are encouraging visitors to rely on transit instead of driving.

San Jose resident Emma Rodriguez said taking BART and Muni made her trip simple and affordable.

"We took BART then Muni, super easy, super cheap compared to gas nowadays," Rodriguez said.

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The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has boosted weekend service, adding extra Muni vehicles to serve popular viewing locations.

"Additional transit is going to be serving the area where we anticipate people will see the Blue Angels on the eastern waterfront and north waterfront," said Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA's Streets Director.

In another effort to reduce congestion, the city is keeping autonomous vehicles out of much of the Fleet Week footprint. A temporary geofence has restricted Waymo and Zoox robotaxis from operating across large sections of the waterfront. The move follows traffic issues during San Francisco's Fourth of July celebrations, when autonomous vehicles reportedly contributed to congestion near event closures and crowded streets.

"They cannot cross into that digital boundary, so they cannot go past Lombard," Wise said.

Transit agencies across the Bay Area are preparing for increased demand. BART says it is operating longer trains throughout the weekend, while ferry operators have added extra sailings to accommodate Fleet Week crowds.

Tourists say the city's transit network has helped them avoid the parking headaches altogether.

"We're at the Marriott. We took the cable car. It was perfect," said Kim Padgett, who is visiting from St. Louis.

With large crowds expected through the weekend, city officials say public transportation remains the easiest and most reliable way to get to the waterfront and enjoy the air show.