Protesters rally against permanently closing Great Highway in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO -- A crowd of residents from San Francisco's west side neighborhoods gathered Thursday at Ocean Beach to protest the city's proposal to shut down a section of the Great Highway to cars and transform it into an oceanfront park.
The group named Open the Great Highway Alliance criticized Supervisor Joel Engardio, who represents the Sunset District and other west side neighborhoods, for co-sponsoring the plan without thoroughly consulting with his district.
"Listen to your constituents," a protester shouted. "Joel is a liar," another person yelled.
The Great Highway, a roadway connecting Skyline Boulevard to the city's Richmond District along Ocean Beach, has been closed to cars in certain portions for several years due to coastal erosion.
Upper Great Highway, the section from Sloat Boulevard to Lincoln Way, has been temporarily closed to cars on Friday afternoons and weekends for four years as part of a pilot program to turn the area into an open space park. Now seven supervisors support ending the pilot and permanently closing it to build the Great Highway Park.
San Francisco voters will have a say on the measure since it will be on November's ballot. However, the city's west side residents who oppose the project are worried that people from other parts of the city will vote to permanently close the Upper Great Highway without hearing the grievances from neighborhoods that will be impacted the most by the decision.
Those who don't support the project have multiple concerns, including traffic backing up on other main roadways like Sunset Boulevard and 19th Avenue.
However, advocates of the park said that traffic in the area won't be significantly affected based on data from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency during the pilot program.
The agency released a study in June revealing that the average daily traffic has decreased by approximately 38% compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels on the Upper Great Highway due to more people choosing to work from home. Sunset Boulevard traffic mid-week has dropped by 30% and Lincoln Way traffic has lowered by 7% since the pandemic.
Additionally, Friends of the Great Highway Park, an advocacy group supporting the proposal, said that Mayor London Breed and westside supervisors Engardio and Myrna Melgar are committed to adding improvements of traffic infrastructure to accommodate the flow of inland traffic.
Engardio discussed his ideas last Thursday at a People of Parkside-Sunset meeting to adjust roadways where cars will mostly be diverted due to the closure. People of Parkside Sunset is a group representing neighborhoods on the western end of the city.
He suggested replacing the stop signs at the intersection of Lincoln Way and the Great Highway with a traffic light. He also recommended altering the timing of the traffic lights on Sunset Boulevard.
"If we can make the left turn at Lincoln Way better and the drive on Sunset Boulevard better, then maybe we get a park out of the deal," Engardio said.
Opposition to the closure is also worried about losing a highway that they say is crucial for evacuations and emergencies.
"How can firemen do rescues on the beach?" said Stephen Gorski, a lawyer and member of the alliance. "How can we have an evacuation route when people come from the south to help us if there's a catastrophe or if we need to get out?"
Some protesters also said that the Great Highway is a vital artery for veterans and employees to get to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Outer Richmond.
Elisa Smith, a member of the alliance, said the closure is part of a growing "anti-car agenda" within the city.
"I just want everyone to keep in mind that there is, for lack of a better phrase, an anti-car agenda going on in the city," Smith said. "Businesses are leaving. Businesses are closing. It's really heartbreaking to see all the parking that's being taken away."
Protesters argued that there is no need for another park, especially right next to the sprawling Golden Gate Park.
"We're surrounded by park land," said Outer Richmond resident Sherry Bijan while pointing to Golden Gate Park across the street.
"We have small and big parks, more than 200 already," said Louis Lam, a member of Open the Great Highway Alliance and board member of the city's Chinese Newcomers Service Center.
The rally was concluded with a caravan of cars decorated with "Open the Great Highway" signs and colorful writing saying, "It's our lifeline."
Heidi Moseson, a member of Friends of the Great Highway Park, called out the alliance's car convoy in a statement for "creating the neighborhood traffic that they claim to deplore."
The alliance is scheduled to protest again next Tuesday at City Hall during the Board of Supervisors meeting.
"Please, please consider the alternative, which is to keep it the way it is," Gorski said.
