Parking Meters to be Installed at Indiana and Cesar Chavez Streets

Parking pressures in Dogpatch continue to mount, especially during workdays. Over the past few years, the neighborhood has experienced traffic increases, largely due to travel associated with new multi-unit residences, rebounding demand for Caltrain at 22nd Street, and staff and visitors to the University of California, San Francisco Hospital System, among other attractions.

In response – and linked to efforts to close a $322 million budget deficit – the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency decided to add parking meters along Indiana and Cesar Chavez streets. Similar parking regulations were implemented near the Muni Woods Bus Facility in 2018. 

The goal is to “enhance parking turnover and ensure safe access to the area…resulting in greater access for visitors, employees, and residents in the area,” commented Michael Roccaforte, SFMTA Deputy Spokesperson.

Meters will be active Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both sides of Indiana Street between Tulare and Cesar Chavez streets, as well as on the South side of Cesar Chavez between Pennsylvania and Third streets. The meters will be located south of Residential Permit Parking Area EE. Meter prices will start at $0.50 an hour, increasing to $1.00 an hour by the end of the year. 

Before deciding to proceed with meter deployment SMFTA staff gathered opinions about the idea from stakeholders. According to Donovan Lacy, Dogpatch Neighborhood Association Vice President, meters will allow for “more parking availability for SFMTA employees working at their Islais Creek facility as well as the other businesses in the area.”

“Dogpatch Business Association members found parking for employees to be very difficult in this area,” said Brett Villaume, Dogpatch Merchant Association Business Relations, and noted that expanded parking restrictions would curb “RV parking on the Southside of Cesar Chavez between Third Street and Indiana.”

Meters are expected to be installed by late summer, phased to accommodate San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s sewer system work presently occurring on Cesar Chavez Street.

Parking restrictions already exist North of Cesar Chavez. The expanded metered parking on the Southside of Cesar Chavez “isn’t expected to disrupt business operations between Pennsylvania and Third streets, or on both sides of Indiana between Cesar Chavez and Tulare streets.” added Roccaforte.