Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
San Francisco’s Upper Great Highway is being transformed into a pedestrian space, with the road closing to cars permanently on April 12. According to Friends of Ocean Beach Park, “On day one, this park will launch with seating, recreation areas, public art, and intuitive wayfinding, with much more to come as we continue to gather input from the community.”
In an article for Streetsblog San Francisco, Roger Rudick describes plans for the new park, which include lounge spaces, murals, bike parking, and an exploration area for children. “The San Francisco Rec & Parks department is also holding a naming contest for the "Ocean Beach Park/Great Highway Park" or whatever it will ultimately be called.” When complete, the park will be 2 miles long and cover 43 oceanfront acres.
The closure was prompted by sea level rise, which threatens the integrity of the roadway segment, often closed due to sand buildup. Prior to that decision, a segment of the Great Highway was converted to pedestrian-only use during the COVID-19 pandemic, but reverted to allowing car access in August 2021.
FULL STORY: Great Funway to Open on Saturday, April 12
Battle Over San Francisco's Pedestrianized 'Great Highway'
Although the project has been hugely successful with local residents, the mayor and some county supervisors wanted to revert the road to vehicle use.
Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces
The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?
Sea Level Rise Prompts Closure of San Francisco’s Great Highway
The city plans to repurpose a segment of the roadway frequently blocked by blowing sand into a pedestrian plaza.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service