Apple fans flock to Macworld Expo, strain traffic and parking

“For Apple enthusiasts and tourism officials, the annual Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco is an event they eagerly await. But for many car commuters, it’s four days of traffic-choked streets and scarce parking that they dread,” Michael Cabanatuan reports for The San Francisco Chronicle. “‘It’s a hassle,” said Brian Souza, 24, a San Francisco carpenter. ‘Especially since it lasts all week. You just have to drive around it. There’s no way to avoid it.'”

Cabanatuan reports, “Macworld will draw some 40,000 enthusiasts, plus thousands of people working for 400 exhibitors, to Moscone Center, where all three of the convention halls will be in use. Today is expected to be the biggest draw, with Apple Computer co-founder and chief executive Steve Jobs giving a much-anticipated keynote speech at 9 a.m. at Moscone West.”

“‘There will probably be people lined up around the block (this) morning,’ said Leonie Patrick, national sales manager for the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the person who books Macworld,” Cabanatuan reports. “Orville Yumang, supervisor of a 350-space private parking lot at Fifth and Folsom streets, expects a full lot. Some attendees, particularly vendors with vans and trucks to park, have booked spots in advance, he said. ‘It’s going to be crazy here (today),’ he predicted.”

Cabanatuan reports, “Macworld is not only one of the largest conventions in San Francisco, but also among the best known, said Patrick. And it comes at a time when hotels and restaurants can use the business.”

Full article here.

Related article:
MacDailyNews presents live coverage of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ Macworld Expo 2007 Keynote – January 08, 2007