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San Francisco Opens Sunset Dunes Park on Great Highway, Drawing Thousands

The car-free park's debut highlights community enthusiasm but faces ongoing legal and political challenges over its future.

A crowd dances Saturday during the grand opening of the Sunset Dunes park along the former Upper Great Highway in San Francisco.
The grand opening of the Sunset Dunes park along the former Upper Great Highway drew a large crowd Saturday.
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Overview

  • Sunset Dunes Park officially opened on April 12, 2025, converting a two-mile stretch of the Great Highway into a car-free public space.
  • Thousands of visitors attended the opening day celebration, which featured public art, recreational activities, and live music.
  • The park’s creation follows the voter-approved Proposition K in November 2024, which permanently closed the highway for park development.
  • Despite high community turnout and increased visitation, political and legal disputes persist, including a recall campaign against Supervisor Joel Engardio and a lawsuit challenging the park’s establishment.
  • Supervisor Connie Chan has proposed a potential ballot measure to reopen the highway to vehicles on weekdays, contingent on the recall effort qualifying for a citywide vote.