SAN FRANCISCO — Mission Street in the Excelsior will turn into nearly a mile of car-free public space Sunday, Oct. 18, but drivers and transit riders will feel the effects well before the event's 11 a.m. start.
Sunday Streets runs from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., while towing begins at 6 a.m. and normal vehicle entry onto the route ends at 10 a.m.
Which streets are closed?
The main closure is Mission Street between Geneva Avenue and Theresa Street.
Sunday Streets also lists Ocean Avenue between Persia Avenue and Mission Street as part of the event closure.
No stopping or parking is allowed within the event footprint, and towing begins at 6 a.m.
When do cars have to be off Mission Street?
By 10 a.m., vehicles are no longer allowed to drive onto the route except for local access under the guidance of Sunday Streets staff or volunteers.
Residents, businesses and churches that need to move a vehicle during the event can arrange access with the organizer or request an escort from event staff on the day.
That distinction is important: the street is not simply locked off from everybody living inside the footprint, but local vehicle movements become controlled rather than normal.
Which Muni routes will be rerouted?
The organizer says the 14 Mission, 49 Van Ness/Mission and 52 Excelsior will reroute between Geneva Avenue and Silver Avenue.
A final stop-by-stop event detour was not yet published in the primary material reviewed by SF News Today. Instead of guessing which individual stops will be skipped, this guide will be updated once SFMTA posts the specific operating pattern.
Anyone using those three routes Oct. 18 should check SFMTA alerts immediately before traveling.
What's happening before Sunday Streets opens?
The Excelsior 5K Walktober starts at 9:30 a.m. at Cayuga Playground, meaning event-related pedestrian activity begins before Mission Street's official 11 a.m. Sunday Streets start.
The day's program also includes the Persia Triangle Family Hub, a clothing swap, the Salvi Soul Encuentro Zone and a lucha libre showcase near Mission and France.
Can you park nearby?
Parking within the event footprint is not permitted, and the organizer warns that nearby parking may be limited. Anyone who normally parks on the affected portion of Mission or Ocean should pay particular attention to the 6 a.m. towing time.
For visitors, Muni or walking from outside the closure zone will generally avoid the problem of arriving after street parking has already been removed.
When will Mission Street reopen?
The public event ends at 4 p.m., but that should not be treated as a promise that normal traffic resumes at exactly 4:00. Streets still have to be cleared and reopened safely.
This guide will be updated if the final traffic plan supplies a more precise reopening time or stop-by-stop Muni detours.