Sunset District opponents of the closure of the Great Highway are trying again, and a new ballot measure aimed at reopening the road has now officially qualified for the November ballot.

It seems unlikely, now that SF residents both in and outside the Sunset District have gotten to enjoy Sunset Dunes Park for the past year and change, that the majority of the city will vote any differently than they did two years ago, when Prop K passed by an almost 10-point margin. But like we sometimes need to do in these parts, we're going to vote on this again, with the Sunset dwellers who adamantly hate Sunset Dunes Park and want the highway reopened on weekdays hoping for a different outcome.

As KRON4 reports, the SF Department of Elections certified the over 15,000 signatures submitted, saying that based on a random sampling, there are more than the 10, 610 signatures required.

The argument on the "reopen" side have tended to be about traffic in the Richmond and Sunset, with claims that other neighborhood roads are more congested now that people can't zip over to the Upper Great Highway to get to Daly City, or wherever. And people feel strongly enough about this in the district that they recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio last year solely over this issue, and his support of Prop K.

There have also been some acts of vandalism at the park that may or may not be the work of those allied with the anti-closure side.

"Data has debunked any remaining traffic concerns, and local businesses are flourishing thanks to the park, which this measure would destroy,” said Friends of Sunset Dunes in a statement. "This measure would permanently close Sunset Dunes park, demolish all park features, [and] make it impossible for people to enjoy the park on the weekdays, when 60% of visits happen,” the statement added.

District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong, who was appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie following Engardio's recall, is one of those who supports reopening the Great Highway. Wong tells the Chronicle today, "At the end of the day, I have to prioritize those commuting to work, home or school over weekday recreational use of the road."

As we learned last week, and as voters are likely to hear more than once before November, reopening the Great Highway will not be cheap — and it will require the removal of much of the public art and furniture that has defined Sunset Dunes.

The SFMTA estimates that replacing traffic signals alone on the highway will cost $13.2 million, with agency spokesperson Michael Roccaforte explaining that the traffic lights had already exceeded their useful life in 2024, when Prop K passed. SF Rec & Parks has said that removing the park amenities to reopen the road on weekdays would cost an additional $750,000.

And there is also the issue that the oceanside highway carved out of san dunes had tended, for years, to look like it was being reclaimed by the dunes anyway, frequently filling up with sand that needed to be cleared.

We'll see whether voters outside the Sunset District see any reason to vote differently on this, or if proponents of the highway can manage to make their case.

As Jason McDaniel, an associate professor of political science at SF State, tells the Chronicle, the proponents of the ballot measure will likely have an "uphill battle" as they try this again. But it seems to be a point of pride.

"This issue is not just about commute times. The road is not that important,” McDaniel tells the paper. "It’s about a sense of identity, who their community is and feeling like [the park] was imposed on them [by others outside the neighborhood]…It’s about whether politicians understand people like them."

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

Top image: Friends of Sunset Dunes/Facebook