Press Release: Annual Great Highway Sand Relocation Project Starts Monday - 6/17/16

For immediate release: June 17, 2016

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

ANNUAL GREAT HIGHWAY SAND RELOCATION PROJECT STARTS MONDAY

Southbound Great Highway lanes to be closed for up to 10 days

San Francisco, CA – Starting Monday, June 20, 2016, San Francisco Public Works will begin the annual sand maintenance activities along the Great Highway.

Crews will redistribute approximately 5,550 cubic yards of sand during the two-week project, moving it from the side of the roadway toward the ocean. The aim is to reduce the likelihood of sand buildup on the Great Highway during windy weather.

Southbound Great Highway, between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard, will be closed to traffic starting Monday for up to 10 days (Monday – Friday), from approximately 7 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while crews work in the area. Motorists will need to find alternate routes, such as Sunset Boulevard. The Great Highway may be reopened intermittently during this time.

In addition to the removal of sand at the seawall between Noriega Street and Santiago Street, the project will address the sand accumulation at Judah Street and Lawton Street and at the Lincoln Way crosswalk.  

Public Works has a small window to perform the annual work; it must be timed to make sure crews do not disturb the Snowy Western Plover, a small shorebird that is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The plovers can be found at Ocean Beach about 10 months out of the year, but take off in the spring or early summer to nest in other coastal areas and inland salt flats. Monitors with the federal Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) have confirmed that the plovers have left Ocean Beach and that it is safe to begin relocating the sand. 

The work is being done in coordination with the GGNRA and under a special-use permit for activities that occur on federal parklands.

Public Works has hired Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction, Inc. to perform this work.

About San Francisco Public Works: The 24/7 City agency cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and nurtures City-maintained street trees; designs, constructs and maintains City-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; builds curb ramps; eradicates graffiti; partners with neighborhoods; trains people for jobs; greens the right of way; and educates our communities.