NO on K
No on Prop K
While transforming the Great Highway into a park presents ecological benefits, closing this critical roadway at this time is both premature and disruptive. There are several key reasons why postponing the closure until the right conditions are met is a more prudent approach:
1. Insufficient Planning and Funding
The plan to convert the highway into a park is still non-existent, with no design or secured funding. Moving forward without a detailed, actionable plan risks leaving the area in limbo—potentially degrading into an unusable or unsafe space instead of a thriving park. By keeping the road open for now, we ensure that San Francisco can wait for the right time when resources and a well-defined plan are in place to execute the transition smoothly.
2. Current Traffic Impact and Lack of Alternatives
Closing the Great Highway immediately would shift significant traffic to nearby roads like 19th Avenue, which is set to undergo construction for the next three years. This creates a compounding issue, as these alternate routes will already be heavily congested due to construction delays and lane reductions. Closing the Great Highway without first ensuring that alternative routes can handle the added traffic will cause disruptions for residents and commuters alike, increasing congestion, pollution, and frustration.
3. Phased Approach Allows Flexibility
Closing the highway now is not an urgent or “once in a lifetime” need. Climate benefits and ecological restoration can still be achieved incrementally, giving time to upgrade alternate routes to absorb additional traffic. If the road closure proves beneficial after the currently running weekend closure program or when the park plan is ready, it can always be implemented later, when there’s community consensus and infrastructure readiness.
4. Traffic Diversion and Environmental Trade-offs
Diverting traffic without alternative infrastructure improvements may increase emissions along residential corridors like Sunset Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue, contradicting the environmental goals the park closure aims to achieve. A rushed closure risks trading one environmental issue for another, which could damage public support for future ecological initiatives.
In summary, closing the Great Highway without a solid plan or traffic infrastructure in place is shortsighted. A phased, thoughtful approach would ensure that ecological goals are met without compromising the city’s transportation network or overwhelming already burdened roads like 19th Avenue. The Great Highway’s transformation can and should wait until the right conditions are in place.