An estimated 30,000 people are expected to descend on San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit starting Saturday, world leaders such as President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping among them.

With that influx of VIPs comes a massive security apparatus that will affect people traveling across San Francisco. Authorities are shutting down a swath of Downtown, rerouting bus and metro lines, and even closing two lanes of the Bay Bridge. 

The evolving security situation has led to growing concerns by local residents and businesses closest to the transit and road closures, and many San Franciscans are confused about how best to avoid disruptions and go about their business. To help people understand the extent of the temporary modifications and what they mean, The Standard has put together an FAQ to guide you through APEC week.

The main venue is the Moscone Center in the South of Market neighborhood. 

From 10 p.m. Nov. 14 to Nov. 18, local traffic into the security perimeter—for those who live or work in the area bounded by Second, Market, Fifth and Harrison streets—will be allowed only through specific paths after a security sweep and inspection. 

Pedestrians and bicycles not heading into the security perimeter will be routed around the area. Vehicles that do not need to enter the perimeter for residential or business purposes will not be allowed in.

Most vehicles traveling south from Nob Hill and Chinatown will be rerouted to either Mason Street to the west or Bush Street to First Street to the east. Drivers traveling south of Market Street from the Embarcadero will be pushed north at Fremont Street or south at First Street to avoid the security zone. Southwest of the perimeter, vehicles will be routed onto Sixth Street for north-south travel and Harrison Street for east-west travel.

Fencing and pedestrian and vehicle checkpoints will be in place between Nov. 15 and Nov. 18, with barricades erected after a security sweep on the night of Nov. 14. Minor street and sidewalk closures for the staging and removal of equipment may also be in effect on Nov. 13 and Nov. 19. 

The SoMa security zone will be divided into two sections, shown in green and red on the below map. Pedestrians may enter the outer green zone without being screened or presenting identification. But starting Nov. 15, anyone entering the green zone in a vehicle will need a valid reason, including being a resident, event guest or patron of a business within the perimeter. 

No street parking, transit or taxis will be allowed within the security zone, though paratransit will be able to enter. Bicycles and scooters will be allowed inside once screened.

Starting Nov. 15, the inner red zone will only be accessible to APEC attendees or patrons of a business inside the perimeter. All entrants to this area, including pedestrians, will be screened. Pedestrian screening checkpoints will be at Howard Street near Fifth Street on the west side, via Yerba Buena Gardens on Mission Street on the north side and Folsom Street near Hawthorne on the east side.

Eligible vehicles will be able to enter the perimeter via three checkpoints. Two are on the west side of the zone, at Fifth and Mission streets and at Folsom and Fifth streets. One is on the eastern side at New Montgomery and Jessie streets.  

Vehicles will be subject to searches and screenings, including by K-9 units. Between Nov. 15 and Nov. 18, residents will be required to show an ID with their address to drive to their homes. If they don’t have an ID with a current address, they will be able to show secondary proof of residence, like a utility bill or a lease. 

Employees of businesses can show a badge or work ID card to be allowed in with their vehicle. Pre-registration is not required, and residences and businesses will be generally accessible, barring a major security event.

In Nob Hill, a perimeter around the Fairmont Hotel will be established on the night of Nov. 13, bordered by Clay, Taylor, Pine and Stockton streets. Pedestrians trying to enter the security area will be required to enter via a checkpoint at Huntington Park. 

Vehicles going into the area will be subject to checkpoints at either California and Taylor streets in the west or Washington and Powell in the north. This perimeter will likely be dismantled late on Nov. 18, though its effects may continue into Nov. 19. 

Because of a major party with President Joe Biden and other world leaders at the Exploratorium, detours and street closures around that museum will begin at noon on Nov. 15, with the Embarcadero closed between Pier 9 and Pier 27. Local traffic will be allowed on Front Street and Broadway, but most vehicles will be detoured via Battery Street, Broadway and Sansome Street. This perimeter will end late on Nov. 15.

Street closures and detours around the Legion of Honor will begin at noon on Nov. 16. Clement Street will be closed between 34th and 38th avenues, except for people who live or work between these streets. The 18-46th Avenue Muni bus line will be rerouted during this time. This perimeter will end late on Nov. 16.

A controlled pedestrian-only zone will be set up around the Asian Art Museum for the APEC CEO Summit on Nov. 14. 

On-street parking will be barred within all security zones. Emergency no parking signs will go up around the city. Vehicles that are parked in violation of emergency no parking signs will be ticketed and towed. Notices will be posted at least 72 hours in advance of the restrictions being put in place. 

The Moscone Center Garage and Fifth and Mission/Yerba Buena public garages will be closed from Nov. 11 to Nov. 19. The SFMTA-owned parking garages close to the main event that will remain open during APEC are the Ellis-O’Farrell, Union Square and Sutter-Stockton garages.

On the Bay Bridge, the rightmost lane of I-80 westbound and the leftmost lane of I-80 eastbound will shut down from Nov. 14 at 5 a.m. to Nov. 17 at 9 p.m. to provide access for California Highway Patrol. 

The I-80 eastbound off-ramp at Fourth Street will be closed from Nov. 15 to Nov. 17 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The last eastbound San Francisco exit before the Bay Bridge will be at Seventh Street instead of Fourth Street. The I-80 westbound off-ramp at Fifth Street will be closed from Nov. 15 to Nov. 17 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Drivers planning to get on the eastbound freeway near the Moscone Center should use the Eight Street on-ramp. Drivers planning to get off the freeway should use the Fremont Street off-ramp. 

Additionally, the northbound U.S. 101 Dana Bowers Vista Point off-ramp north of the Golden Gate Bridge will be closed from Nov. 14 to Nov. 18.

Credentials are required to enter the Moscone Center. Venues directly involved with the APEC summit and APEC CEO Summit will be locked down with unscalable fencing and be inaccessible to anyone without a credential. 

Yes, the city park will remain accessible to the public. The adjacent Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, however, will be temporarily closed from Monday, November 13 through Sunday, November 19, 2023. 

Barring unforeseen restrictions, SFMOMA aims to be open during regular business hours during APEC. Only walk-up, on-site tickets will be available Nov. 14-17.

In SoMa, bus lines will be rerouted around the security perimeter around Moscone Center, which is bordered by Second, Market, Fifth and Harrison streets. Ambassadors will direct transit riders to temporary bus stops outside the zone. The 30 Stockton and 45 Union-Stockton will only operate north of Market Street. 

See a full list of bus lines being rerouted here. 

Multiple Muni lines will also be rerouted around the security zone in Nob Hill from Nov. 14 to 19. The below map shows how bus lines will be rerouted, and a full list of changes is on this page.

Cable car stops will be closed on the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines from the Market Street turnaround up to Clay Street. Riders will be able to take the cable cars between Washington Street and Bay Street on the Powell-Mason Line and between Washington Street and the Hyde Street turnaround. A bus substitute will provide service to stops along Powell Street from Jackson to Ellis streets.

The entire California Line will be shut down during the event, with a substitute bus serving the entire route.

There will be no Muni Metro service provided to the Fourth and Brannan or Yerba Buena-Moscone Station. Trains on the T-Third route will be rerouted to its previous route instead of entering the new Central Subway route. A Muni Metro shuttle train will operate every five minutes between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and Union Square-Market Street Station.

Representatives for the Water Emergency Transportation Authority and Golden Gate Transit said they don’t expect any disruptions of San Francisco Bay Ferry service.

BART and Caltrain schedules will remain the same, and no stations will be closed. 

SFMTA has an APEC resource page here, with the option to sign up for real time email or text alerts. The city of San Francisco and the U.S. Secret Service also have a comprehensive map available online here, where updates may be posted.