Editor:

The commentary by Paul Kozakiewicz in the April issues argues that the traffic crashes resulting in injury have increased since the Upper Great Highway (UGH) closure, but the date ranges he compares both fall after the closure, rendering his analysis unable to comment.

Using San Francisco Open Data, a more accurate picture of the closure’s impact emerges. The number of traffic crashes in the Sunset and Parkside districts resulting in injury in the 24 months leading up to the closure (March 14, 2022 – March 14, 2024) totals 232, while in the 24 months following the closure (March 14, 2024 – March 14, 2026) there have been 173 – a 25% decrease following the closure of the road.

The closure has made our community significantly safer, but this is not where the benefits end as Sunset Dunes is a wonderful addition to our City’s parks. The park has allowed for the flourishing of a restored and beautiful coastal habitat and helps prevent erosion of the shoreline, a problem that is forcing the closure of the southern extension of the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline. With the park has come a diverse community of birds and other animals that are likely to bring with them the many positive benefits of a healthy, flourishing ecosystem.

According to a city press release, more than half of documented park attendance is on a weekday and 25% of visitors are residents of the Sunset District, demonstrating that the park is regularly utilized during the week and disproportionately so by the residents living nearby. The closure of the UGH and the creation of Sunset Dunes Park has been a great boon to the Sunset and our City, enriching and protecting our residents and our coastline. I hope that we as a community can prevent the hazards and losses that would come with the reopening of the highway and the destruction of the park.

Gabriel Small