Effort Underway to Send UGH Compromise Back to Voters

Opponents of Prop K ban on private vehicles plan new ballot measure to restore weekday access to Upper Great Highway

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Despite losing at the ballot box and in court, those opposed to banning private motor vehicles on the Upper Great Highway between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard plan to start gathering signatures for another ballot measure in November. The issue dates back to 2020 when the popular roadway was shut down as a COVID-19 response, leading to a legal battle and a 2022 compromise that opened the highway on weekdays. That compromise was later overturned by Prop K in 2024, which banned vehicles altogether. Now opponents are seeking to appeal the court ruling and put the previous compromise back on the ballot.

Why it matters

The closure of the Upper Great Highway has been a contentious issue in San Francisco, pitting westside motorists against park advocates. The proposed new ballot measure aims to restore weekday vehicle access that was in place before the full closure, which opponents argue has had significant traffic and safety impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

The details

In 2021, the Open The Great Highway Alliance sued to reopen the highway and JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, but lost in court. A 2022 compromise brokered by then-Supervisor Gordon Mar would have opened the highway on weekdays while closing it on weekends, but that was later overturned by Prop K in 2024 which banned vehicles entirely. Now opponents, led by former SFPD Commander Richard Corriea, are filing language to put a new measure on the ballot to revert to the previous compromise.

  • In 2020, the Upper Great Highway was shut down as a COVID-19 response, giving people more recreation space.
  • In 2021, the Open The Great Highway Alliance sued to reopen the highway and JFK Drive, but lost in court in early 2022.
  • In 2022, a compromise was worked out by then-Supervisor Gordon Mar to open the highway on weekdays and close it on weekends.
  • In November 2022, Proposition I, which would have reopened the highway to vehicles, was defeated.
  • In November 2024, Proposition K, which banned vehicles from the Upper Great Highway, was approved by voters.

The players

Open The Great Highway Alliance

A citizen group that sued to reopen the Upper Great Highway and JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park in 2021, but lost in court.

Gordon Mar

The former District 4 Supervisor who brokered the 2022 compromise to open the Upper Great Highway on weekdays.

Lucas Lux

The leader of the effort to close the Upper Great Highway to private vehicles and create a new city park, dubbed Sunset Dunes.

Matthew Boschetto

One of the plaintiffs who brought the lawsuit against the closure of the Upper Great Highway, and plans to appeal the court's denial of their arguments.

Richard Corriea

A former SFPD Commander who is leading the effort to file language for a new ballot measure to revert to the previous compromise on the Upper Great Highway.

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What they’re saying

“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 a coastal park.”

— Lucas Lux

“We feel very confident in our arguments. We feel that the judge is misreading them at the most gratuitous. And we think this is ripe for appeals and we will seek it.”

— Matthew Boschetto, Plaintiff

“We don't want to add anything new in; it's going back to what the compromise was.”

— Richard Corriea, Former SFPD Commander

“What we've learned over the last year is that a lot of people want another chance to vote on this and a lot of sentiments have changed.”

— Jamie Hughes, Campaign Consultant

“People on the west side were experiencing the brunt of the impacts but the organized opposition to Prop. K never went east of West Portal.”

— Richard Corriea, Former SFPD Commander

What’s next

The opponents of the Prop K closure plan to file language with the Department of Elections to put a new measure on the ballot that would revert to the previous compromise, which opened the Upper Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays. They will need to gather around 10,500 signatures citywide to qualify the measure for the November 2026 election.

The takeaway

The ongoing debate over the closure of the Upper Great Highway highlights the tensions between westside residents who rely on the roadway for commuting and park advocates who want to prioritize pedestrian and recreational use. The proposed new ballot measure aims to find a middle ground, but the outcome remains uncertain as both sides continue to fight for their vision of the future of this contested stretch of San Francisco's coastline.