San Francisco city officials on Thursday announced a long-awaited reopening plan for the Great Highway, a road that's been closed to vehicle traffic since the early days of the COVID-19 crisis.
Starting Aug. 16, the road will reopen to traffic for the first time since April 2020. As part of the plan, vehicles will be able to use the roadway beginning at 6 a.m. Monday through 12 p.m Friday. After that, the Great Highway will only be open to pedestrians and bicyclists until 6 a.m. the following Monday.
It will also be closed to vehicle traffic on holidays.
This phase of the city's emergency response will be in place until the San Francisco Board of Supervisors considers legislation to establish a pilot program in this – or in another – configuration that would extend beyond the coronavirus pandemic emergency closure.
"The use of the Great Highway during this pandemic has revealed what we can do to provide our residents and families more opportunities to enjoy the west side of our city," Mayor London Breed said in a news release on Thursday. "Having the Great Highway closed on weekends and holidays will make sure that residents and visitors still can enjoy this incredible space, while recognizing the needs of our families and residents who need to get to school and work during the week as we reopen."
The closure will "support students and families getting to and from school, as well as people returning to getting to and from work during the week."
Plans for the Great Highway had been fiercely debated, with some wanting to keep the road closed to vehicle traffic permanently.
"It’ll take new and robust investments in westside transit and transportation to truly address the traffic impacts, and it’s unreasonable to continue a 24/7 closure without them," said Supervisor Gordon Mar. "Meanwhile, a weekday roadway and weekend promenade is a meaningful compromise and the right road forward"
Others have cited increased neighborhood traffic hoping to completely open the roadway.
Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk San Francisco, said she was "shocked and also deeply disappointed" at the announcement. "The city just issued a mask mandate again this week and so the Great Highway has been one of those places that has been essential for people for their physical health, mental health...and so we just think that we need to keep this open as a public open space until we get through this pandemic," she told KCBS Radio's Kathy Novak.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition shared similar feelings on social media.
The city’s "Slow Streets" program has proven to be popular among San Franciscans and tourists, with some of the closures becoming permanent.
Related
