San Francisco Judge Rejects Great Highway Lawsuit

Cars must continue to steer clear of a stretch of the Great Highway. That’s after a San Francisco Superior Court judge dismissed all four claims in a lawsuit challenging the ballot measure that closed a portion of the road to open up a beachside park.

The fight over the park, called Sunset Dunes, and the westside thoroughfare it replaced has involved two ballot measures, lawsuits and cost one local supervisor his job. The latest court ruling is a win for parks advocates who are ready to bury the issue in the sand.

“Now that they’ve lost two lawsuits and two elections, we invite them to accept the will of San Franciscans and work with us to make the most of our collective coastal park,” Lucas Lux, President of Friends of Sunset Dunes, said in a statement.

The city decided to close off a two-mile stretch of the upper Great Highway during the coronavirus pandemic to make room for social distancing and promote recreation. The area became a popular destination for biking and other activities, and as the pandemic waned, the city decided to keep cars off the road on weekends while allowing them during the week.

In 2022, voters rejected Proposition I, which aimed to allow cars back on the Great Highway at all times and halt already approved plans to close the portion of the road between Sloat and Skyline boulevards in order to adapt to sea-level rise.

Then, in November 2024, about 55% of voters across the city approved Proposition K, permanently removing cars from the Great Highway to make way for Sunset Dunes park, which opened in April 2025.

But the majority of District 4 residents, who live closest to the Great Highway, opposed the measure. Critics said it would worsen traffic congestion, although a study from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority found minimal impact and has been working to improve traffic flow on neighboring streets.

A group of pro-highway Sunset District residents later filed the lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition K, arguing the ballot measure was invalid because the city did not first conduct an environmental review.

After hearing arguments on Monday, Judge Jeffrey S. Ross ruled that Prop K did not violate the California Environmental Quality Act because the measure was put on the ballot by city supervisors and not a public agency, and therefore an environmental review was not required.

“The judge said he was not a CEQA expert, and on that I agree with him,” said plaintiff and Sunset resident Lisa Arjes. “All we’ve done by closing this [road] was moving emissions to another road. If we want to really have a conversation about that, we need to ask about what the end goal is. If it was environmental, why avoid CEQA?”

Albert Chow, a Sunset resident and plaintiff, said he was “thoroughly disappointed” in the judge’s decision. “I can’t explain the judge’s headspace or thought process on that.”

Former District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio lost his seat over his public support for the park after Sunset residents voted to recall him in September 2025.

“It’s time to consider Sunset Dunes settled. Too many people have seen how the park is good for the environment, local businesses, and the physical and mental health of every visitor. Future generations will see this as a silly controversy because the park’s benefits far outweigh the fears of traffic jams that never happened,” Engardio said in a statement about the judge’s decision. “The coast belongs to everyone, and it won’t be long before a majority everywhere will embrace the wonderful and magical Sunset Dunes.”

Supporters of the park, including Engardio, have argued that the road is already doomed and the city needs to adapt to the changing climate anyway. The lower portion of the Great Highway is already closed off due to coastal erosion.

Others have celebrated the new park as a place where locals and visitors can ride, skate and stroll along the coast. Some local business owners told KQED they have seen an increase in sales and foot traffic since the park was created.

“While our volunteers are giving their time to bring a coastal park to life, the anti-park zealots continue to waste more public resources in their attempt to overturn the will of the people and close Sunset Dunes,” Lux said.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit said they aren’t done with their fight yet, and have 60 days from the ruling to appeal.

“We are all licking our wounds right now,” said Chow, who added that a decision to appeal hasn’t yet been made.

The new District 4 supervisor, Alan Wong, voted against Prop K in 2024 and wants the issue to go before voters again in a 2026 ballot measure.

“If this decision holds, then the only way to reopen the Great Highway for vehicles on weekdays is for another ballot measure,” Supervisor Alan Wong said in a statement. “I’m prepared to support a ballot initiative to reopen the Great Highway and restore the original compromise.”

Arjes said she’s encouraged by Wong’s decision.

“His job is to try to find a way forward and represent his constituents, and I think he’s trying to do that,” she said. “The compromise [over road closure hours] wasn’t on the ballot in 2024, and that’s grown in popularity out here. Everybody has to give a little bit to get something.”