By Tom Pendergast

The end of the road is on the horizon for a section of the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline boulevards, after a unanimous vote by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) on Oct. 10. 

The four-member commission recommended the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department authorize the closure of that highway section via a resolution passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 

Erosion of the beach in this area has been a problem and a risk going back to the early 1990s, according to Anne Roche, a project manager and climate advisor to the SFPUC. The SFPUC runs the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant that is now under threat as the ocean has already eaten away the cliffs just west of it as well as a big chunk of the roadway. 

In order to save the sewage treatment plant, the plan includes closing the Great Highway there and redirecting traffic on Sloat to Skyline, which in turn would require a complete redesign of the intersection at the Great Highway and Sloat.

“This project will be permanently closing the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline,” Roche said. “We know this will be a big change but as part of the project we are redesigning the Sloat/Great Highway intersection and coordinating with Cal-Trans on the intersection at Sloat and Great Highway to ensure that traffic continues to flow with this project. 

“In addition, we are working closely with SFMTA (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency).” 

Commission Vice President Anthony Rivera expressed concerns about the traffic patterns and safety issues involved in redesigning that intersection. 

“This is going to be a major change to the current flow of traffic and not only concerns for potential traffic congestion but also, this is an area that attracts a lot of children, families with disabled kids; it is so hard to get across Sloat,” Rivera said. “I just want to make sure that we have safeguards in place for those individuals who are going to be there every day. 

“They’re going to be there on a Wednesday morning or maybe a school day from out of town that doesn’t have a large zoo in their area; they’re going to come down. And I just want to make sure that we’re addressing any issue may come out of these changes,” he said.

“I know that there’s parking along the median on Sloat and there’s a lot of new developments and there’s potential for other changes coming up,” he added. “I don’t know what SFMTA is planning on putting (in there) but I know that there’s different ways to control the traffic.”

That day the commission also authorized the SFPUC “in coordination with other partner agencies” to evaluate vehicle access to the SF Zoo’s parking lot, and consider whether any subsequent project is necessary to provide “enhanced vehicle access.”

San Francisco Zoo officials are also worried about safety issues that may arise from closing the Great Highway and redirecting traffic eastward around the Zoo, as well as other negative impacts the project might have on them.

A letter from the Zoo’s CEO, Tanya M. Peterson, to the commission clarified their concerns. 

“The temporary closure of the Great Highway has had a negative impact on the Zoo in various ways. Historically, Zoo attendance averages approximately 1 million visitors annually, but with the Great Highway’s closure on weekends and holidays, annual visitor numbers have decreased. Moreover, the Zoo visitor experience has been impacted dramatically,” Peterson said.

“Zoo visitors are limited to a very narrow entry/exit off of Sloat Boulevard, resulting in a very congested parking lot with slow egress, a potential concern during an emergency. Construction trucks from the north further confuse Zoo visitors’ U-turns from westbound traffic on Sloat to access the Zoo’s parking lot.  

“In addition, (Zoo staff) believes animal welfare has been and will continue to be impacted by the construction on the Great Highway. Already, the construction noise and vibration at and near the Zoo’s borders have and will continue to impact those animals closest to the construction sites. Also, construction generates air pollutants that potentially impact those animals closest to the construction sites, not to mention that visitors and staff are subjected to the construction generated air pollutants,” Peterson said. 

“While (the Zoo) appreciates the efforts of agency staff to assist with traffic congestion, suggestions that require Zoo visitors to either make a U-turn from Sloat Boulevard west to Sloat Boulevard east are not only cumbersome but result in visitors making a dangerous left (or diagonal) turn, as there is no direct left turn into the Zoo parking lot from Sloat Boulevard. Moreover, plans submitted from other agencies show the reduction of at least 80 on-street parking spaces for Zoo members and families. 

“San Francisco Zoological Society’s goal with regard to the planned closure of the Great Highway is to provide a new and safe entry and egress for the thousands of visitors who visit San Francisco Zoo & Gardens each week,” she added.

According to Peterson, there are specific measures the City can take to help the Zoo. 

“The Zoo requests: permanent return of its ‘overflow’ parking area to alleviate the congestion now being experienced within the Zoo’s lot; short-term, construction mitigations to ameliorate conditions described above; and consistent with prior overtures of the agency, a new ingress and egress suitable for a significant cultural institution of San Francisco, which invites, not deters, visitors and others,” she said.