San Francisco's Sunset Dunes draws thousands of visitors amid continued controversy

San Francisco's newest park is already a popular spot, with people flocking to visit by the thousands on its grand opening weekend.

Sunset Dunes came with the permanent closure of a two-mile stretch of the Upper Great Highway to cars, which continues to be highly controversial, mainly because of traffic in the neighborhood near the park.

This weekend, the sunny spring weather brought visitors from San Francisco and around the Bay Area out to experience the oceanfront park, which officially opened on Saturday. The park is 50 acres and stretches from Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard.

"I just got back from down there; it's beautiful, San Francisco needed a spark," said San Francisco resident Nader Nazzal, who lives in the Inner Sunset.

San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department reports its sensors tracked 13,000 visitors to Sunset Dunes on the park's opening day, which the department said is the second-highest number of park visits to the space in a single day.

"I think it's fabulous, it's wonderful for walking and peaceful," said Marin resident Wendy Aronson, who was visiting with her daughter.

" I like what they’ve done for the children too," noted Aronson, who liked seeing the skate park area and new artwork on the sidewalk.

In 2020, the city closed this stretch of road to cars to allow for more recreation opportunities while people were being asked to social distance. Since 2021, the road has been closed to cars on weekends and back open on weekdays. In 2022, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a three-year pilot project to keep the road closed to cars on weekends.

The park was made possible by Proposition K, which San Francisco voters narrowly approved in November. As a result, the Upper Great Highway, which had been closed to cars on weekends, is now closed to cars all the time. The city officially closed that stretch of road in March to prepare for the opening of the park.

"It is spectacular," said Austin Walsh, who lives on 47th Avenue in the Sunset.

"I’ve lived here for 20 years, and I never even thought it was possible, and now having it closed on the weekends, it kind of opened everybody’s eyes to the possibilities," Walsh continued.

However, not everyone has had positive reviews of this change.

Several Sunset neighbors who didn't want to be interviewed on camera told NBC Bay Area that since the Great Highway was closed to cars on weekdays in March, they have seen more traffic spilling over onto 45th, 46th, and 47th Avenues.

Supervisor Joel Engardio, whose district includes Sunset Dunes, ran into NBC Bay Area while he was on a run at the park Sunday.

"I’ve talked to a lot of Sunset residents, and as we know, a majority were against this park, and I respect that," Engardio said.

"And I think some are seeing it come to fruition and seeing the benefit of it, and others are still concerned about traffic, and we’re doing everything we can to mitigate traffic concerns and pedestrian safety," he continued, noting that the city is taking feedback on issues with traffic flow and pedestrian safety while SFMTA is looking into whether new traffic signals there need to be re-timed.

Engardio supported Proposition K, and now there is an effort to recall him.

The Recall Engardio Campaign sent NBC Bay Area a statement reading in part, "We support parks and open space, but Sunset Dunes Park isn’t what this community asked for."

"People are dealing with more traffic, longer commutes, and less access — and all they got in return was a patch of sand," the statement continues. "That’s why we’re working to recall Supervisor Engardio."

San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, who represents the Richmond District, recently told the Richmond Review that if the Board of Supervisors votes to authorize a special citywide election this year, she will explore a ballot measure to keep the Upper Great Highway open to cars Monday through Friday.

There are lots of differing views on how to move forward.

Sunset resident Austin Walsh said he does not support the effort to recall Engardio and likes the new Sunset Dunes park.

"People of the city voted, and now we need to move on, enough is enough," he said.

San Franciscan Nader Nazzal said he likes seeing all of the families playing at the new park, but he also worries that the Great Highway closure will make others late getting to work or school.

"Both ways, it's like a tough decision, I’m torn, I could go either way with it," Nazzal said. "But being a native Sunset person, I think it’s a good change."

Daly City resident Matthew Barrios, who was at Sunset Dunes for the day going for a run and going out to eat, said he hasn't decided how he feels about the new park yet.

"I’ve seen they’re installing more stuff down there for the community to enjoy, but I think I would wait a little longer and see the stuff they’re going to add to it," Barrios said.

In the meantime, there are lots of people already walking, skating, biking, and playing in this new public space.