Join the SFPUC, SF Rec & Park and SFMTA at a joint Open House hosted by the San Francisco Zoo to learn more about initial improvements to public safety and access that are anticipated to begin in early 2027.
Monday, November 16
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Connie and Bob Lurie Education Center @ the SF Zoo
Sloat Boulevard at the Upper Great Highway
Enter through the Main Entrance and turn left at the Gift Shop
The Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project (OBCCAP, or Ocean Beach Project), one of San Francisco’s first climate adaptation projects, will improve safety, expand access to open space, and protect critical wastewater infrastructure against sea-level rise. This major project led by San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), in close coordination with the Recreation and Parks Department (RPD), is expected to begin in 2029.
As part of the Ocean Beach Project, the Great Highway Extension south of Sloat Boulevard will be closed to traffic and replaced by a seawall and a new coastal recreational trail. Because of this, initial circulation improvements are needed on Sloat ahead of the larger Ocean Beach Project to accommodate changing travel patterns and maintain access to the San Francisco Zoo. These changes will improve circulation for residents and visitors, enhance the streetscape, and improve connections for people who bike and walk along Sloat Boulevard and Ocean Beach.
Proposed changes on Sloat Boulevard
- Revising the SF Zoo’s driveway to add a new vehicle exit onto eastbound Sloat and install a raised crossing across the two-way bike lane. This change is essential for maintaining vehicle and parking access to the Zoo once the Great Highway Extension is permanently closed to cars.
- Relocating the westbound U-turn one block east to create a seamless, primary entrance to the Zoo. Moving the U-turn from Sunset Dunes to Lower Great Highway will make it easier to access the Zoo and minimize extra driving for most drivers in the area.
- With the U-turn relocation, there is an opportunity to build an interim public plaza at the end of Sloat Boulevard by removing the median, installing concrete bollards, painting the roadway with decorative treatments and adding other temporary features. This would create safer walking and biking connections between Sunset Dunes, the Great Highway Extension, the SF Zoo and Sloat Boulevard. As part of SFPUC’s major OBCCAP construction phase beginning in 2029, the interim plaza would be upgraded into a permanent plaza with art, seating and more.
- Simplifying 47th Avenue with new left-turn restrictions for vehicles, replacing the traffic signals with stop signs, a westbound lane reduction, and consolidated crosswalks to help the Zoo exit operate safely and efficiently. These changes also provide an opportunity for an expanded center median at 47th Avenue, with landscaping and art/signage to create a welcoming gateway that celebrates and links the SF Zoo and Sunset Dunes Park.
- Rerouting Muni’s 18 46th Avenue southbound bus route to Lower Great Highway to minimize turns and provide more direct access to Sunset Dunes.
These circulation and safety improvements will build upon the recently completed Sloat Quick-Build Project, which created a new two-way separated bikeway, pedestrian safety zones at uncontrolled crosswalks, and new bus boarding islands on Sloat between Great Highway and Skyline Boulevard.
Anticipated Timeline
The traffic circulation changes must be approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors, which is expected to consider the project in December 2026 (details coming soon).
To minimize disruption to the public and to the SF Zoo, this initial phase of SFPUC’s Ocean Beach Project is being coordinated with the Zoo to avoid their peak summer season. We aim to start construction of the initial access improvements in early 2027, with most changes completed in mid-2027. Construction will be managed by SF Public Works and the SFMTA.
To learn more about the larger Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project (OBCCAP), visit SFPUC’s project page.
