What is the future of Great Highway in SF?

SAN FRANCISCO ( KRON ) — Right now, San Francisco's Great Highway is closed to vehicles between Sloat Boulevard and Lincoln Way on weekends. However, a November ballot initiative asks voters if that should be permanent.

On Tuesday, a group of residents who live on the west side of the city gathered at City Hall to let supervisors know not everyone supports the plan of having a park there.

“We are really excited about the opportunity to create San Francisco’s next iconic open space and open up the oceanfront for people to enjoy in more ways,” said Lucas Lux from Friends of Great Highway Park.

But many Westside residents oppose a permanent closure and gathered at city hall Tuesday to let supervisors know.

“There’s a community of stakeholders of now disenfranchised voters on the west side of San Francisco, particularly in the Sunset, that are concerned about public safety and about quality of life and keeping high-speed traffic out of neighborhoods,” said Richmond District resident Richard Correia.

Opponents complain another park isn't needed and is permanently closing this stretch of roadway will send traffic into outer Sunset and Richmond neighborhoods — restricting access to emergency vehicles.

“It is ridiculous to say that this legislation is going to create a park look around you. We don’t take care of the parks that we have,” said one opponent of the project.

But SF Supervisor Joel Engardio says placing the measure on the ballot and letting voters decide is democracy in action.

“We’re putting this on the ballot, so everyone has a say about what to do with our coast,” Engardio said.

“Something like the coast belongs to everyone,” he added. “Does not belong to one driver, one cyclist or even one neighborhood it belongs to all San Franciscans and something this important, we need every voter to have a say.”

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