SF residents divided over Measure K to permanently close portion of Great Highway to cars

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — It looks like a two-mile stretch of part of San Francisco’s Great Highway will be closing.

The latest numbers show Measure K passing, getting 54% of the vote.

Closing off the road to cars will create a new oceanfront park, but not everybody is happy.

As the sun sets at Ocean Beach, people enjoy another quiet weekend on the great highway without vehicle traffic.

Should SF’s Great Highway permanently close to cars? Here’s what both sides say on Prop K

Measure K, if it officially passes, will make that a reality 7 days a week–not just on weekends.

And that’s exactly what Chase Davenport is hoping for.

“I just think open spaces are very important for the city,” said Davenport.

Davenport is a coastal scientist who’s thinking about the future of Ocean Beach and what’s happening there.

“I think we’re going to have to experience this city in other ways than being in cars a lot more as the world changes,” said Davenport.

Tensions rising over proposition that would close part of San Francisco’s Great Highway

The Great Highway was shut down to vehicles temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city then closed it on weekends and holidays.

But not everyone agrees with Measure K and a complete shutdown.

“It’s very disappointing right now for us…that did not want the Great Highway permanently closed to cars,” said Richie Greenberg who lives in the Richmond District.

He says closing the Great Highway permanently will create some big headaches, diverting traffic through normally quiet neighborhood streets.

“These streets were not made for the kind of 20,000 cars per volume that is here, that use the Great Highway,” said Greenberg.

Debate over changes to San Francisco’s Great Highway intensify with Prop K

Greenberg believes that will also impact businesses in the Richmond District.

“People will not want to come here because of the congestion, because of the inconvenience, because of potential accidents. Because of potential overflow,” said Greenberg.

“This movement has been led by people who live in the sunset for years,” said Lucas Lux, Board President of Friends of Great Highway Park says the pros of closing part of the road permanently to cars–outweigh the cons.

Lux says it’s all about giving the community a safe space and a reason to come out.

“After Measure K wins, we are going to work together to make our streets safe for everyone in the family and have a world-class park in our backyard. I think there is a way for us to have a win-win in the neighborhood,” said Lux.

But opponents say the local residents directly impacted by the closure and increased traffic—didn’t ask for this measure.

“We all heavily voted ‘no’ on closures. It was the in the Mission and Noe and toward the east side of San Francisco that voted ‘yes’,” said Greenberg. “This shouldn’t have been a ballot measure in the first place.”

Selena Chu, a resident of San Francisco’s Sunset neighborhood shared on Facebook, “By framing this closure as a citywide issue, (Supervisor Joel) Engardio effectively silenced the voices of West Side communities who rely on the highway for our daily commutes. There was an already existing compromise allowing the Great Highway to be shared on weekdays and closed on weekends and holidays, which doesn’t expire until the end of 2025.”

ABC7 News reached out to Supervisor Engardio Saturday night for comment. He has not responded.