Latest news with #GreatHighway
CBS News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Rollover crash on San Francisco Great Highway renews concerns about road safety
A rollover crash near San Francisco's newest park, Sunset Dunes, has people talking about the safety of the new traffic flow on the Great Highway. It happened Sunday afternoon, just north of the part of the Great Highway that was shut down to all cars back in March for the new oceanside park. Patrick Doherty has lived in the area for 15 years, and he said he is concerned. "It's totally scary," said Doherty about the crash. "It's very scary. I know they just installed the lights down here, but I can see how it would happen." San Francisco police said both drivers involved in the crash had minor injuries but will recover. Doherty believes that when more people are on the roads, like during workdays and big events like Outside Lands, which was happening at the time of the crash, it's more dangerous. "I think it's a bad idea to close the Great Highway, especially during rush hour," said Doherty. But Trish Gump, a lifelong San Franciscan, believes it has more to do with the drivers than the roads. "Unfortunately, I think a lot of people are just driving too fast in the city, so I attribute it to speed more than anything," said Gump. She lives near Sunset Dunes and is grateful for the extra outdoor space. "I love it," exclaimed Gump. "I use it just about every day." Lucas Lux, President of Friends of Sunset Dunes, an organization that advocates for the park, said that the intersection has been a problem for a long time. "This intersection has somewhat of a history of crashes well before Sunset Dunes," explained Lux. "In 2017, an SFPD vehicle rolled over in the same spot. In '21 or '22, there was another rollover crash on the Great Highway." Last month, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency released its first data on the new traffic flow, which shows a calming. On the Great Highway, between Fulton Street and Lincoln Way, SFMTA found it carries roughly 12,000 vehicles on an average weekday, down from 17,000 last year. "What we know from the data is that drivers have switched to the next closest arterial, Sunset Boulevard," said Lux. "That is what the city modeled and expected, and what we all wanted to see, drivers switching to an arterial rather than going through neighborhood streets and impacting safety there." Still, Doherty said he sees a big impact on the side streets once people turn onto Lincoln, and he can only think of one solution. "I've thought about scenarios about how to make it better, and I think the best way is to open the Great Highway again," said Lux.
New York Times
29-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
San Francisco Leader Faces Recall After Drivers Lost Their Great Highway
An elected leader in San Francisco will face a recall for helping to turn a major thoroughfare into a beachside park, a move that some voters consider a grievous mistake. The city's Department of Elections announced on Thursday that an attempt to oust Supervisor Joel Engardio from office had qualified for the ballot, and that a special election would be held on Sept. 16. Forget party politics. Mr. Engardio fell victim to park politics in a city that remains fiercely divided over the shutting down of the Great Highway and its conversion into a coastal playground known as Sunset Dunes this year. The park won rave reviews from visitors who run along the Pacific Ocean and lounge in hammocks there. But it angered residents who relied on the roadway to shave time, and others who said that neighborhood streets were now clogged with would-be Great Highway drivers. Those detractors now want to remove Mr. Engardio because he led the park conversion effort. It marks San Francisco's third recall election in less than four years, the latest sign of a restless electorate that remains dissatisfied with its city leaders over quality-of-life issues. Mr. Engardio is one of 11 members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, which is akin to a city council. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
29-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Recall petition certified for San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio; election in September
San Francisco election officials on Thursday announced a recall petition has been certified against Supervisor Joel Engardio, setting the stage for a recall election in September. According to Department of Elections director John Arntz, the campaign seeking to oust the District 4 supervisor submitted 10,523 valid signatures, which is above the recall threshold of 9,911 signatures. Arntz said officials will proceed with preparations for the special election, which is set for Sep. 16. The special election will only be open to residents in District 4, which covers several westside neighborhoods including the Sunset, Outer Sunset, Parkside, Lakeshore and Merced Manor. Engardio, who was elected in 2022, faced a growing backlash among residents over his support of Prop. K, which closed a two-mile stretch of the upper Great Highway to cars to create a park. While the measure passed citywide with 54% of the vote, much of the opposition was centered in the Sunset and Richmond districts. The roadway permanently closed to automobiles on March 14. Selena Chu, who helped gather signatures for the recall, told CBS News Bay Area that she doesn't feel Engardio is listening to his constituents. "He was elected to be the District 4 Supervisor, but instead of coming to us, he went for the whole city, but I think it needs to start here," Chu said. Chu also said the closure of the Great Highway has impacted her everyday life. "With the closure, it does add 15-30 minutes extra, per morning, to my commute," explained Chu. "Some people on social media ask, 'Why don't you just wake up earlier?' accusing me of being lazy. It's not a matter of that." In a statement to CBS Bay Area, Engardio said he's confident the majority of voters would oppose the recall and approve of the work he's doing. "I'm working with SFMTA to further improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety," Engardio said. "I'm fixing problems big and small for residents, supporting merchants, and working with the mayor and my colleagues to pass legislation that addresses pressing issues on public safety, housing, and our local economy. I'm continuing to do the job of supervisor as I always have." District 4 is home to about 80,000 residents.
