For some, Sunset Dunes Park is a welcoming open space along San Francisco’s coast. For others, the closure of the Great Highway has made daily commutes longer. The November ballot measure, Proposition G, would reopen the highway to cars on weekdays while keeping it closed on weekends and holidays.
Since San Francisco voters approved Proposition K in November 2024, the former roadway has been transformed into Sunset Dunes, a recreational space that opened in April 2025.
Andrew Kleindolph, Lick-Wilmerding High School design tech teacher and frequent park visitor from Noe Valley, enjoys the variety of activities Sunset Dunes offers. He especially appreciates its continuous path for biking, beach access and the changing artwork. “I like that it’s just this long, continuous park,” he said, describing how murals, sculptures and installations make each visit unique. For Kleindolph, the space is more valuable as a park than as a road.
Nearby resident Justin Cooper ’28 has embraced Sunset Dunes. He walks his dog, goes on runs and visits the beach more often now that the space is accessible. Although his family initially opposed the transformation, Cooper said the park has become a worthwhile addition to the neighborhood. However, he has noticed increased traffic when traveling to school. He worries that reopening the highway would waste the money spent transforming it into a park.
For Ved Marya ’27, who drives to school daily from the Lake Street neighborhood in the Richmond District, he notes that the transportation changes are hard to overlook. Now, his commute to school can take 10 to 20 minutes longer because of the increased traffic on alternative routes. Although he recognizes that Sunset Dunes provides a place for people to gather and exercise, he believes the highway should reopen on weekdays, but close on weekends and holidays. “I just feel like it should be used for its original purpose,” Marya said.
photo by Angie Woo ‘27
For some, Sunset Dunes is a place to gather; for others, it is a reminder of what the neighborhood lost. As the Outer Sunset continues to adapt, the question remains: What will the future of the coast look like for a neighborhood caught between preservation and change?
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