Twin Peaks Project Awarded State Funding

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Part of the figure-eight roadway at San Francisco's Twin Peaks is still on track to be converted into a pedestrian and bicyclist haven for the next few decades, thanks to a $1.9 million grant award from the state.

At last week's Board of Supervisors meeting, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department got the go-ahead to use state grant money to finish turning the eastern portion of the Twin Peaks roadway into a promenade.

The majority of the $1.9 million award will be used to turn the roadway into a linear park by resurfacing a portion of the ground, removing the concrete barrier at the edge of the road, installing signs and adding amenities like bike racks and rustic boulder seating, according to a San Francisco Recreation and Park spokesperson.

Of the two entrances to Twin Peaks Boulevard, the eastern Burnett Avenue gate was off-limits to drivers even before the pandemic to ensure bicyclists, walkers and runners could safely enjoy some of the city's best views.

When both entrances closed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, city transportation officials voted to continue to keep Burnett Avenue car-free indefinitely.

City officials have now pledged to keep the promenade operational for public use until at least 2050 to unlock the state funding. The monetary award comes from a California Department of Parks and Recreation project that improves regional parks, generated from the voter-approved Proposition 68 in 2019.

The renovation project is a part of a larger plan to improve the overall conditions of Twin Peaks, which has been visited by residents significantly more since the pandemic. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency officials said roughly 800 people hike, jog and bike in the area every weekday.

A design team from San Francisco Public Works is also finalizing details on fixing three nearby trail segments, thanks to money pooled from two additional state grant projects — one of which funds projects dedicated to improving the mental and physical wellbeing of residents, and the other focuses on conserving properties that improve the quality of life in the Bay Area.

"That portion of the project consists of restoring native plants and soil erosion prevention measures, among other initiatives," said Daniel Montes, spokesperson for the city's Recreation and Park Department.

Last week, crews met with a disability access coordinator to ensure the site complied with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines despite its steep terrain, and the mapping team refined plans for construction. If funding allows, the trail segments will be completed by the end of 2023.

"We look forward to seeing the progress of plans for our linear park," wrote project manager Keri Ayers in a project update.

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