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Sunset Dunes

Sunset Dunes is a two-mile (3 km) long urban park next to Ocean Beach on the west coast of San Francisco, California.[1] The park is located on a northern portion of the Great Highway between Lincoln Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. It opened on April 12, 2025.

History

Further information: Great Highway § Pedestrianization of middle section

The upper portion of the Great Highway between Lincoln Avenue and Sloat Boulevard was closed to motor vehicles on certain days starting in April 2020 to provide San Franciscans space to social distance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the upper Great Highway would close around 27 times annually for sand and debris removal.[2] In 2024, a ballot measure known as Proposition K was proposed by San Francisco supervisors Joel Engardio and Myrna Melgar to permanently close the Upper Great Highway and repurpose the space as a new park.[3] On November 9 2024, Proposition K passed 54% to 46% with much of the opposition being concentrated in areas of the city near the Great Highway.[4]

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department received a $1 million grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy Board to help convert the upper Great Highway into a park.[5] New transit infrastructure upgrades were conducted on the roads around the Great Highway to accommodate the additional traffic present from closing the upper Great Highway.[5][6][7]

The park opened on April 12, 2025.[8] 13,000 people visited the park on its opening day.[9]

Name

The park's name was selected following community engagement. The San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department initially received 4,200 name suggestions between March 1 and 16, 2025.[10] These name suggestions were narrowed down to 3,200 potential names by Recreation & Parks Department staff members to eliminate inappropriate names. After a community meeting attended by 240 participants, 15 potential names that ensured "historical significance, connection to nature and geography, and iconic placemaking" were selected from the 3,200. A citywide survey was held from March 20 to April 2 to choose a name from the 15 potential names.[10] The five finalists of this survey were Sunset Dunes, Playland Park, Great Parkway, Fogline and Plover Parkway.[8] The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission selected Sunset Dunes as the park's name from a group of five finalists on April 9, 2025.[10][8][11]

Before receiving its name, the future park was referred to as Ocean Beach Park or Great Highway Park.[10]

Opposition

Many residents of the Sunset and Richmond District opposed closing down the Great Highway to create the park as it worsens traffic and creates longer commutes.[10] A study of traffic data collected before and after the closure of the upper Great Highway showed that it led to longer commutes in the Sunset District.[12]

Park names mocking District 4 supervisor Joel Engardio were proposed in the citywide naming contest.[10] Some residents of the Sunset District collected signatures to conduct a recall election for Joel Engardio over his support for Proposition K.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Sunset Dunes". San Francisco Recreation & Parks. City and County of San Francisco. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  2. ^ Mitchell, Meaghan; Campodonico, Christina (February 3, 2021). "Like it or not: The Great Highway will change". The San Francisco Standard. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  3. ^ Cooke, Riley (June 20, 2024). "San Francisco voters could turn Great Highway into permanent oceanfront park". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  4. ^ Cheang, Ko Lyn; Ellis, Maliya (November 9, 2025). "Prop K passes: S.F.'s Upper Great Highway closes to cars". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Cheang, Ko Lyn. "S.F. awarded $1 million to fund future Great Highway park, approved by voters". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2025-01-31. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  6. ^ Salazar, James (February 24, 2025). "Traffic upgrades progressing along Great Highway". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  7. ^ Salazar, James (January 4, 2025). "Traffic-signal upgrades coming to Great Highway". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Mauhay-Moore, Sam (April 9, 2025). "New name for park on San Francisco's Great Highway has been revealed". SFGATE. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  9. ^ Goard, Alyssa (April 13, 2025). "San Francisco's Sunset Dunes draws thousands of visitors amid continued controversy". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Whiting, Sam (April 9, 2025). "S.F.'s newest — and most controversial — park finally has a name". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  11. ^ "San Francisco's Newest Coastal Park Officially Named Sunset Dunes". San Francisco Recreation and Parks. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  12. ^ Leahy, Garrett (April 7, 2025). "Great Highway closure made Sunset traffic worse, data shows". The San Francisco Standard. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  13. ^ J.K. Dineen, Ko Lyn Cheang. "Recall campaign launches against S.F. supervisor as his supporters vow to 'Stand with Joel'". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2025-03-14. Retrieved 2025-04-10.