Where do we go from here?
As the results rolled in on Tuesday night, we breathed a sigh of relief. What a joy to see such a definitive vote for parks and public spaces in San Francisco! Voters want our parks to prioritize people, not cars, and they don’t want to waste city money adding infrastructure that reverses progress made over the last two years. Prop J passed, affirming support for the car-free JFK Promenade, while Prop I, which would have returned cars to JFK and the Great Highway, was rejected by the voters. Prop N, which transfers control over the Music Concourse parking garage to the Recreation and Parks Department, passed by a landslide, opening the door to a more equitable, accessible future for Golden Gate Park by allowing greater control over ADA parking space and pricing for park visitors.
Ensuring equitable access to our public spaces was clearly a major consideration for voters. Enabled by Prop N, we expect the City to enact appropriate changes to the Music Concourse garage to improve access to Golden Gate Park. With the passing of Prop L (fingers crossed!), we also expect the SFMTA to expand transit from underserved neighborhoods to Golden Gate Park so more people have easier access without a car.
With the Promenade secured, we can set our sights on enjoying it. Through our yearly installation of Entwined, coming December 1st, and our new activation grant program Promenade Presents, we are focused on empowering SF residents to bring more joy and community to the Promenade through art, yoga, books, bikes and more. Partnership is central to our mission, and we look forward to working with artists, city departments, park institutions and our community to make JFK Promenade a truly shared public space.
Looking beyond Golden Gate Park’s borders, these election results demonstrate a clear demand from the people for more public open space in SF. There are still questions lingering about the fate of the Great Highway. Although Prop I has been defeated, the Great Highway will likely be revisited in 2023 when the Ocean Beach Master Plan advises the southern half between Sloat and Skyline should be closed. While solutions that satisfy all parties might seem as foggy as a July day at Ocean Beach, what’s clear is the importance of this public space. We look forward to working closely with community groups, RPD, City Hall, and others to imagine a future that balances the needs of residents and businesses, provides space for recreation, and prepares for the realities of climate change.
More pressingly, the future of Slow Streets is likely to come before the SFMTA Board in the coming weeks. Slow Streets proved to be a lifeline that increased safe access to parks, schools, grocery stores, and other amenities during the pandemic. Yet despite their popularity, an inconsistent rollout has hindered their potential and led to friction between neighbors. With this in mind, we’ve been working with a broad coalition of advocates to help craft a People’s Slow Streets plan. This plan calls for improvements to existing Slow Streets, equitable expansion across the city, and a connected network of 100 miles of safer, calmer, and more joyful Slow Streets.
The election results are exciting and encouraging, with a clear mandate from the people of SF to expand and secure public open spaces. We can’t wait to get started.
