Before Upper Great Highway closed to vehicles in 2024, the roadway's traffic signals needed to be replaced at a cost now estimated at $13.2 million, compared with the $700,000 the city spent to install Sunset Dunes Park.

As SFist reported last week, supporters of the proposed "Great Highway for Everyone Act" say they collected enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot, pending verification. According to Mission Local, if approved, SFMTA estimates it would cost about $13.2 million to restore and replace aging traffic signals along the Upper Great Highway, including roughly $12 million for existing intersections and another $1.2 million for a new signal at Lincoln Way.

SFMTA spokesperson Michael Roccaforte told the outlet those signals were already past their useful life before the road closed in 2024.

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department estimates it would cost another $750,000 to remove Sunset Dunes' amenities and convert the park back into a roadway, bringing the total estimated cost to nearly $14 million. By comparison, Mission Local reports that creating Sunset Dunes has cost about $1.2 million so far, including roughly $700,000 from Rec and Park for signs and amenities and $500,000 in nonprofit funding for public art and other installations.

The Controller's Office is expected to release an independent fiscal analysis in August if the measure qualifies for the ballot, per Mission Local.

As reported previously, San Franciscans approved Proposition K by a 55%-45% margin in 2024, permanently closing the Upper Great Highway to vehicles. Since then, District 4 voters recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio over his support for the measure, opponents lost a lawsuit seeking to overturn Prop. K, and a separate ballot measure introduced by Supervisor Alan Wong failed to qualify for the June election.

The latest measure is also being challenged in court by Sunset Dunes supporters, who argue the petition used to gather signatures included false or misleading claims, including that the park slows emergency vehicles and that reopening the roadway would leave the park “exactly as it is.” Per Mission Local, the lawsuit notes emergency vehicles already have access through the park and says reopening the road would require removing features such as the skate area and giant octopus sculpture.

Previously: Latest Measure to Reopen SF’s Great Highway to Cars Will Likely Qualify For November Ballot

Image: Friends of Sunset Dunes/Facebook