Walking down Union St. last week I spotted something strange… Residents, tourists and all people who park on Union St., are still paying for parking on Sundays.
Why is this something strange? Because starting July 1 2014, parking became free on Sundays on participating streets in San Francisco. A few of those participating streets in the Marina are: Union St., Chestnut St. and Fillmore St.
So why do people on the block continue to pay the meter on Sunday?
Mckenzie Welsh, a local Marina resident, said, “I guess it’s just a force of habit.”
Matt and Emily Herring, a couple from Noe Valley come to the Marina occasionally, and I caught them paying the meter at 4:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday. When I asked them why, Matt said, “You can never be too careful about parking in this city.”
So will residents continue to pay for parking on Sundays just to be safe? Charlotte Singer, a resident of the Marina for over two decades said, “When I found out that parking was free, I said, ‘Finally!'” Singer said that some residents have been pushing for free parking on weekends for quite some time, but Sundays will suffice.
Stickers on parking meters on Union St. that read the hours of operation still say to pay on Sundays, so that could possibly have added to the confusion.
However, parking is indeed FREE on Sundays now. If you become hesitant with doubts, make sure to always look at the hours of operation, or ask a local resident or business owner.
Happy parking!
SF Marina Moments 