Although the race for Prop K has yet to be officially declared, the count is swinging in favor.
Supporters like Lucas Lux are excited because 54% of votes counted so far have approved the measure.
“We are very hopeful. There are still 117,000 San Franciscan votes to be counted, but with each additional count the margin grows, and we hope that when all the votes are counted, we will have a very strong mandate that San Franciscans will enjoy. want to enjoy their coast as a place to recreate,” said Lux.
If passed, Prop K would permanently close the Upper Great Highway to cars and turn the area into a park.
“Firstly, we can preserve our coast for future generations and that alone is something we should be very proud of. And the second thing it will do is make the coast more accessible so people can enjoy it in more ways. So people pushing strollers, wheelchairs, bicycles. I taught my son to ride a bike there,” Lux said.
But not everyone is excited about the potential passage of Prop K. So far, nearly 46 percent of voters have voted against it.
This includes Albert Chow, who has been an outspoken opponent of the measure throughout the campaign.
“In this day and age when all we’re doing is cutting off roads like JFK, if you cut off a vital artery, you know it’s only going to be bad for us in the future,” Chow said.
Chow worries that closing the road will also push more traffic into nearby neighborhoods.
He believes most people who actually live in the area near the Great Highway oppose Prop K.
He said those in more distant neighborhoods voted for it.
“It’s like voting for what to do at McLaren Park, closing a road there. If I just thought it was a great idea because it was strange, maybe I’d just tick the box because then I wouldn’t have to do too many to think about, while people in Visitacion Valley may think very differently,” Chow said.
But supporters like Lucas believe the Great Highway isn’t just another park.
“The coast does not belong to a select group, the coast belongs to all of San Francisco,” Lux said.
If Prop K passes, Lux said people can expect to see changes soon, from play structures to benches and art installations going up where cars used to drive.
