SF's Great Highway is now permanently closed to cars. Here's what happens next

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As the waves come crashing into Ocean Beach, the sun has set on San Francisco's Great Highway and is now rising on a new era.

As of Friday morning, a two-mile stretch of the road is closed to cars for good and crews are already out there working to turn it into the city's newest park.

"This is the largest pedestrianization project in California history," Tamara Barak Aparton, with the SF Recreation and Park Department said.

Park rangers locked the gates to the portion of the road and the city will work to do its annual sand removal before the cement median is expected to be demolished.

It's happening between Lincoln Ave. and Sloat Blvd.

MORE: Lawsuit filed in efforts to prevent closure of San Francisco's Great Highway to traffic

Rachel Katz and Kaitlin Wetzel were among the first wave of runners to hit the highway for the first time on a weekday since it was temporarily closed during COVID.

"We love it, we run here all the time especially on the weekends so coming on a Friday and having it closed was a pleasant surprise," Wetzel said.

Tamara Barak Aparton with the parks department says the work to convert the space into a park starts now, ahead of the celebration for its official opening set for April 12.

"They're going to be adjusting traffic signals and creating safer routes for bikes and pedestrians," Barak Aparton said. "A new community space for nature and recreation, and coastal access, it's going to connect the city to the coast like never before and it's just going to be a great park for everyone."

Voters paved the way for the park in November when they passed Measure K, which has been causing controversy from the get-go.

Critics of the permanent closure are concerned about the change in traffic flow, going so far as filing a lawsuit this week against the city.

The lawsuit claims Measure K violates state law by permitting an unauthorized roadway closure and for failing to do an environmental impact review.

MORE: Controversy continues over San Francisco's Prop K, permanent closure of Great Highway

"On the weekend, it's a mess here," SF resident Julie Fitzgerald said. "When they closed the Great Highway, if you've ever driven 48th or 47th Avenue, it's an absolute mess."

Alex Morales both drives on this stretch of road as well as runs on it when it's closed on the weekends.

"I hope that it's not too much of a bummer for people who live here and that the rerouting of traffic won't be too bad," she said. "There's also Sunset that they can take directly to wherever they need to get to, there's different routes."

As she mentioned, the city is now directing traffic to take Sunset instead.

The city is asking for the community's help in naming San Francisco's newest park.

You have until Sunday at 5 p.m. to submit your ideas online and as of Friday morning, Barak Aparton said they had received nearly 3,600 suggestions.