/h/ProudMoon594
Settle The Matter Permanently With A Great Highway Realignment
This arrangement would be better for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. Partially restore Golden Gate Park's 20th century border, straighten out the existing portion of the Great Highway, and feed it directly into Lincoln, allowing emergency vehicular access to the former Upper Great Highway only via the expanded beach parking lot.
This realignment is a no-brainer: stop throwing millions into a losing battle with the ocean. The $2-3 million annual sand removal cost is a sunk cost fallacy, and sea level rise will only make it worse.
This plan finally removes the physical and psychological barrier that keeps communities of color and low-income residents from safely accessing Ocean Beach. The dangerous Lincoln intersection and hostile road design actively discourage walking and biking, and this realignment prioritizes people over cars.
Coastal retreat has worked before — the Outer Banks relocation of NC 12 after repeated overwash proved that moving infrastructure inland is cheaper than perpetual repair. What specific data from Oregon or North Carolina is the city using to model traffic diversion and erosion savings here?
What happens to traffic on Lincoln and Sunset when you dump all those north-south drivers onto a single inland road? Show me the modeled congestion increase before we pretend this is a free lunch.
This unlocks a once-in-a-generation opportunity: a continuous coastal park and promenade that rivals Santa Monica or Barcelona, right on San Francisco's western edge. Imagine the tourism, recreation, and community space that replaces a crumbling asphalt barrier.
The tension here is real: drivers need a reliable route, and the coastline needs room to breathe. A realignment that maintains emergency access and builds a proper inland road can satisfy both — the key is getting the traffic modeling and community input right before construction begins.