Matt Laroche

I watch SF Nextdoor (because my Supe told me it's important to him), and damn Nextdoor users hate the Great Highway Park proposal.

My take is that many folks hate it because they can't visualize it. I think we need more concept designs than are on https://www.greathighwaypark.com/, allowing people to see what beauty they'd gain from having it. They have a sense of loss, but not gain.

Great Highway Park

Great Highway Park
Jul 23, 2024 at 5:46pmWeb
Show threadMatt LarocheJul 23, 2024

A Great Highway Park is a no brainer (though as a full time park, needs a better name that doesn't include "highway").

Have you ever been to a city where the closest thing to the waterfront is a 4+ lane roadway and thought "this is great! What a good use of space"? (The Embarcadero, much of Santa Monica, Manhattan, Seattle, Chicago)

Show threadHalJor Jul 23, 2024
@mattlaroche The ND community is hardly an accurate representation of the community at large. They're largely reactionary and hate just about everything that even whispers "Left". People with more rational thought and better things to do just don't hang out there. I wouldn't waste too much time trying to convince the ND audience. (Speaking as a former Lead.)
Show threadMatt LarocheJul 23, 2024
@haljor True, but I think the outcome will hinge on how the public sees the future