Engardio Recall Fuels New Push to Reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway
Engardio Recall Fuels New Push to Reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway
The recent recall of San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio has immediately reignited the contentious debate over the future of the city’s Great Highway. Following Tuesday’s vote to oust Engardio, who championed the highway’s permanent closure to cars, supporters of reopening the thoroughfare are intensifying their efforts, with some supervisors already planning a potential ballot measure for June 2026.
Supervisor Connie Chan, representing the Richmond District, confirmed she is actively exploring options to place the issue back before voters. Her proposal would seek to reopen a two-mile stretch of the Upper Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays, while maintaining its car-free status on weekends—a compromise that previously existed. Chan cited the recall results as evidence that westside residents feel unheard regarding traffic congestion and accessibility issues stemming from the closure.
The highway’s closure was ostensibly settled last November when citywide voters approved its permanent transformation into Sunset Dunes park. However, a significant majority of voters in both Engardio’s Sunset District and Chan’s Richmond District opposed that measure, providing fresh impetus for a reversal.
Chan, who has personally experienced increased traffic on routes like Chain of Lakes Drive, plans to engage Mayor Daniel Lurie and her Board of Supervisors colleagues in discussions over the coming weeks. She indicated readiness to push for a ballot measure, which would require the support of at least four supervisors by a January 13, 2026, deadline.
The initiative has already garnered support from Supervisor Shamann Walton of District 10, who stated he is “100% behind going back to the ballot.” Walton argued that closing the highway restricts access for various populations and exacerbates congestion in other areas. Supervisor Chyanne Chen of District 11, while undecided, expressed sympathy for constituents impacted by the closure, particularly those commuting to the VA hospital in the Richmond District.
However, the effort faces staunch opposition. Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Matt Dorsey, who co-sponsored the original Proposition K to close the highway, reiterated their refusal to support reopening. Melgar highlighted that voters citywide already approved the closure by a 10% margin, seeing “no reason to reopen it.” Dorsey also pointed to inevitable coastal erosion, which is slated to permanently close the southern section of the Great Highway to cars by early 2026 anyway, questioning the long-term viability and cost of reopening.
The political landscape is further complicated by Mayor Lurie’s upcoming appointment to fill Engardio’s vacated seat. That new supervisor’s stance on the Great Highway could significantly influence the viability of Chan’s proposed ballot measure. Regardless, the recall victory has energized advocates for reopening, who are now calling on Mayor Lurie to appoint a supervisor committed to their cause.
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