David Sjostedt

It’s a late summer morning in the San Leandro Kaiser intensive care unit, and Noah Tesfa is devouring a plate of orange chicken from Panda Express. His bloated stomach is making it impossible for him to sit up, and with every bite, his fork makes a dangerous leap, dropping chow mein against his hospital garb. An empty supply of an opiate called Dilaudid hangs from his arm, and a single teardrop drizzles down his cheek. He knows he is dying but is hardly worried about that. He begs the nurse for another dose.&nbsp;

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It’s a late summer morning in the San Leandro Kaiser intensive care unit, and Noah Tesfa is devouring a plate of orange chicken from Panda Express. His bloated stomach is making it impossible for him to sit up, and with every bite, his fork makes a dangerous leap, dropping chow mein against his hospital garb. An empty supply of an opiate called Dilaudid hangs from his arm, and a single teardrop drizzles down his cheek. He knows he is dying but is hardly worried about that. He begs the nurse for another dose.&nbsp;

“Can I go home,” he asked his mother, Azieb Gebresslasie, earlier in the day.

“Can I go home,” he asked his mother, Azieb Gebresslasie, earlier in the day.

“Where’s home?” Gebresslasie responded.

“Where’s home?” Gebresslasie responded.

“The Civic Center,” Tesfa said.&nbsp;

“The Civic Center,” Tesfa said.&nbsp;

Noah Tesfa lies in a hospital bed in Kaiser’s San Leandro Intensive Care Unit while his kidneys begin to fail on May 30, 2021 in San Leandro, Calif. Tesfa had chosen to be comfortable rather than take the necessary medical procedures to save his life. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DSC_3494-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12157"/><figcaption>Noah Tesfa lies in a hospital bed in Kaiser’s San Leandro intensive care unit while his kidneys begin to fail on May 30, 2021. | Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DSC_3494-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12157"/><figcaption>Noah Tesfa lies in a hospital bed in Kaiser’s San Leandro intensive care unit while his kidneys begin to fail on May 30, 2021. | Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

San Francisco’s addiction crisis is on display every day outside the Civic Center. Police, drug dealers and drug users gather seamlessly, the streets sometimes filled with sick and wounded people listlessly wandering or sprawled on the sidewalks.&nbsp;

San Francisco’s addiction crisis is on display every day outside the Civic Center. Police, drug dealers and drug users gather seamlessly, the streets sometimes filled with sick and wounded people listlessly wandering or sprawled on the sidewalks.&nbsp;

Tesfa’s request to go back to the area doesn’t surprise Gebresslasie. A promising student and athlete growing up in Santa Rosa, Calif., Tesfa began abusing prescription opioids while in high school. Since he graduated a decade ago, <meta charset="utf-8">Gebresslasie has been finding and losing her son in the city’s Tenderloin district.

Tesfa’s request to go back to the area doesn’t surprise Gebresslasie. A promising student and athlete growing up in Santa Rosa, Calif., Tesfa began abusing prescription opioids while in high school. Since he graduated a decade ago, <meta charset="utf-8">Gebresslasie has been finding and losing her son in the city’s Tenderloin district.

Gebresslasie quit her job in Santa Rosa to become a cab driver in San Francisco, stopping the car whenever she saw him. If she couldn’t find her son for a few days, she would call former BART police department officer David Touye. 

Gebresslasie quit her job in Santa Rosa to become a cab driver in San Francisco, stopping the car whenever she saw him. If she couldn’t find her son for a few days, she would call former BART police department officer David Touye.

“Officer Touye, to be honest, was a godsend,” Gebresslasie said. “There wasn’t anybody that cared like officer Touye and his partner.” 

“Officer Touye, to be honest, was a godsend,” Gebresslasie said. “There wasn’t anybody that cared like officer Touye and his partner.”

Touye and his partner Eric Hofstein, who have both since retired, had enrolled Tesfa in a pilot program called Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion. LEAD reimagined how law enforcement officers interacted with drug users, allowing police to refer eligible low–level offenders to social services. 

Touye and his partner Eric Hofstein, who have both since retired, had enrolled Tesfa in a pilot program called Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion. LEAD reimagined how law enforcement officers interacted with drug users, allowing police to refer eligible low–level offenders to social services.

But even though the program was a godsend for Gebresslasie and showed promising early results, LEAD foundered after two years, undone by distrust between police and social service workers. Its demise shows some of the barriers that stand in the way of addressing the city’s twin crises of homelessness and drug addiction—not the least being that sometimes, for some people like Tesfa, there is not a lot that can be done.

But even though the program was a godsend for Gebresslasie and showed promising early results, LEAD foundered after two years, undone by distrust between police and social service workers. Its demise shows some of the barriers that stand in the way of addressing the city’s twin crises of homelessness and drug addiction—not the least being that sometimes, for some people like Tesfa, there is not a lot that can be done.

With a lighter and straw in hand, blood rolls down Tesfa's thigh as he stands on the corner of Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco in February 2020. Itching is a common side effect of opioids and would lead Tesfa to itch and pick for hours at times. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-02-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12130"/><figcaption>With a lighter and straw in hand, blood rolls down Tesfa&#8217;s thigh as he stands on the corner of Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco in February 2020. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-02-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12130"/><figcaption>With a lighter and straw in hand, blood rolls down Tesfa's thigh as he stands on the corner of Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco in February 2020. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-02-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12130"/><figcaption>With a lighter and straw in hand, blood rolls down Tesfa&#8217;s thigh as he stands on the corner of Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco in February 2020. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

Established through a $6.9 million grant from the Board of State and Community Corrections in 2017, LEAD provided training for officers on harm reduction—the practice of providing compassionate care to people struggling with addiction.&nbsp;

Established through a $6.9 million grant from the Board of State and Community Corrections in 2017, LEAD provided training for officers on harm reduction—the practice of providing compassionate care to people struggling with addiction.&nbsp;

“LEAD, the way it was designed, was a great place to refer people who were hard to refer elsewhere,” said GLIDE case manager Jason Norelli. “If you think about it, cops are actually outreach workers. They’re on the streets, they know what’s going on.”&nbsp;

“LEAD, the way it was designed, was a great place to refer people who were hard to refer elsewhere,” said GLIDE case manager Jason Norelli. “If you think about it, cops are actually outreach workers. They’re on the streets, they know what’s going on.”&nbsp;

Touye and Hofstein were among a group of officers who traveled to Seattle—the birthplace of the program—to learn how to introduce LEAD to San Francisco. The city’s program was ultimately run by the Department of Public Health through partnerships with the District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement agencies and outreach services provided by the Felton Institute and GLIDE. Officers would bring LEAD clients to a health department intake center, where they were evaluated and assigned a case manager from GLIDE or the Felton Institute. 

Touye and Hofstein were among a group of officers who traveled to Seattle—the birthplace of the program—to learn how to introduce LEAD to San Francisco. The city’s program was ultimately run by the Department of Public Health through partnerships with the District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement agencies and outreach services provided by the Felton Institute and GLIDE. Officers would bring LEAD clients to a health department intake center, where they were evaluated and assigned a case manager from GLIDE or the Felton Institute.

“It was just this constant game of cat and mouse … [Tesfa] was always getting high in our station,” Touye said. “Officers understood that we’re not going to be able to arrest our way out of this problem, so let’s try to dig a little deeper.” 

“It was just this constant game of cat and mouse … [Tesfa] was always getting high in our station,” Touye said. “Officers understood that we’re not going to be able to arrest our way out of this problem, so let’s try to dig a little deeper.”

Noah Tesfa, the son of Eritrean immigrants, sits at a bus stop on Market Street in San Francisco while high on fentanyl in April 2020. Azieb Gebresslasie, Tesfa’s Mother, explained that, “it was no longer safe to live in our country, so we came to the U.S. for a better life.” | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-03-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12133"/><figcaption>Tesfa, the son of Eritrean immigrants, sits at a bus stop on Market Street in San Francisco while high on fentanyl in April 2020. | Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

The LEAD program saw some clear early successes. After 12 months, 98 surveyed LEAD clients were over six times less likely to be arrested for misdemeanors and more than three times less likely to be involved in felony cases than members of a comparable control group, according to a <a href="https://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/CSULB-LEAD-REPORT-TO-LEGISLATURE-1-15-2020.pdf">report</a> by California State University of Long Beach.&nbsp;

The LEAD program saw some clear early successes. After 12 months, 98 surveyed LEAD clients were over six times less likely to be arrested for misdemeanors and more than three times less likely to be involved in felony cases than members of a comparable control group, according to a <a href="https://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/CSULB-LEAD-REPORT-TO-LEGISLATURE-1-15-2020.pdf">report</a> by California State University of Long Beach.&nbsp;

Many people involved with LEAD said it helped build rapport between police officers and outreach workers, who previously viewed one another with suspicion. LEAD stakeholders met bi-weekly to discuss their client’s progress and work together on strategies—a type of collaboration that was absent before the program.&nbsp;

Many people involved with LEAD said it helped build rapport between police officers and outreach workers, who previously viewed one another with suspicion. LEAD stakeholders met bi-weekly to discuss their client’s progress and work together on strategies—a type of collaboration that was absent before the program.&nbsp;

“There are harm reduction people who were horrified when I decided to do LEAD. There are people who were anti–LEAD, because they’re anti–cop,” Norelli said. “We were so divergent … I feel like it was a learning process for all of us.”&nbsp;

“There are harm reduction people who were horrified when I decided to do LEAD. There are people who were anti–LEAD, because they’re anti–cop,” Norelli said. “We were so divergent … I feel like it was a learning process for all of us.”&nbsp;

Critics of the program said that LEAD unnecessarily involved law enforcement in issues that shouldn’t be considered criminal matters. In their eyes, the program itself was a compromise.

Critics of the program said that LEAD unnecessarily involved law enforcement in issues that shouldn’t be considered criminal matters. In their eyes, the program itself was a compromise.

“It’s still rooted in the criminalization of homelessness. You become a criminal once you catch this charge and you negotiate your way out of that,” said former LEAD intern Jade Arellano. “I don’t think that the police should be involved in any kind of response.”&nbsp;

“It’s still rooted in the criminalization of homelessness. You become a criminal once you catch this charge and you negotiate your way out of that,” said former LEAD intern Jade Arellano. “I don’t think that the police should be involved in any kind of response.”&nbsp;

A San Francisco Bart P.D. Officer watches Tesfa walk up the steps of the Civic Center Muni Station in San Francisco. “San Francisco makes it so easy to get drugs and use drugs, you can’t break away,” said retired BART P.D. officer Eric Hofstein. “[Tesfa] was that classic example … There was nothing to rein him in.” | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-04-copy-2500x1663.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12136"/><figcaption>A San Francisco Bart P.D. Officer watches Tesfa walk up the steps of the Civic Center Muni Station in San Francisco. | Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

Most law enforcement officers were skeptical of harm reduction. Of the 2,000 police officers in the city working for several different agencies, no more than 60 attended a single training.&nbsp;

Most law enforcement officers were skeptical of harm reduction. Of the 2,000 police officers in the city working for several different agencies, no more than 60 attended a single training.&nbsp;

LEAD represented a radical shift for law enforcement, which has traditionally focused on abstinence as the only treatment for addiction. But better understanding began to emerge among those who bought into the program.

LEAD represented a radical shift for law enforcement, which has traditionally focused on abstinence as the only treatment for addiction. But better understanding began to emerge among those who bought into the program.

“The most amazing thing that happened to me during this process, over three years of working on the LEAD program, was that cops used to call me and ask me how to talk to people,” Norelli said. “A couple of the officers willing to try it had some amazing successes using this approach of harm reduction.”&nbsp;

“The most amazing thing that happened to me during this process, over three years of working on the LEAD program, was that cops used to call me and ask me how to talk to people,” Norelli said. “A couple of the officers willing to try it had some amazing successes using this approach of harm reduction.”&nbsp;

Despite many stakeholders seeing potential in LEAD, the program ultimately foundered. Most officers were untrained in harm reduction practices. Case managers were overloaded. The officers who did participate reported feeling stigmatized by some of their harm reduction counterparts. Touye, for one, said it was difficult to collaborate with people who defamed his work. 

Despite many stakeholders seeing potential in LEAD, the program ultimately foundered. Most officers were untrained in harm reduction practices. Case managers were overloaded. The officers who did participate reported feeling stigmatized by some of their harm reduction counterparts. Touye, for one, said it was difficult to collaborate with people who defamed his work.

Tesfa bargains with a woman at the U.N. Plaza in San Francisco in April 2020.Tesfa sold stolen goods to sustain his addiction at the U.N Plaza — a hub for drug dealers, addicts, shoplifters and people looking to buy inexpensive stolen goods. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-05-copy-2500x1663.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12139"/><figcaption>Tesfa bargains with a woman at the U.N. Plaza in San Francisco in April 2020. Tesfa sold stolen goods to sustain his addiction. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

“If we don’t have an effective voice in this matter, then what are we doing? [LEAD] was ultimately doomed to fail,” Touye said. “Everybody vilifies the police, but when it comes to homelessness, we’re a viable tool.” 

“If we don’t have an effective voice in this matter, then what are we doing? [LEAD] was ultimately doomed to fail,” Touye said. “Everybody vilifies the police, but when it comes to homelessness, we’re a viable tool.”

The city decided not to continue LEAD after the two-year pilot expired, though it continues to run in over 50 cities around the country. New programs in San Francisco such as the Street Crisis Response Team, which stemmed from LEAD, have moved away from involving law enforcement.&nbsp;

The city decided not to continue LEAD after the two-year pilot expired, though it continues to run in over 50 cities around the country. New programs in San Francisco such as the Street Crisis Response Team, which stemmed from LEAD, have moved away from involving law enforcement.&nbsp;

“It was definitely not easy to see it dismantled … We all have a responsibility, and working together is the most effective way that I’ve seen,” said BART Police Department community outreach liaison Armando Sandoval.&nbsp;

“It was definitely not easy to see it dismantled … We all have a responsibility, and working together is the most effective way that I’ve seen,” said BART Police Department community outreach liaison Armando Sandoval.&nbsp;

City officials felt differently and moved on from LEAD to spare police the added responsibility of acting as outreach workers, according to Dr. Angelica Almeida, a director at the Department of Public Health.

City officials felt differently and moved on from LEAD to spare police the added responsibility of acting as outreach workers, according to Dr. Angelica Almeida, a director at the Department of Public Health.

Gebresslasie comforts Tesfa’s aunt Genet Haley in a San Leandro Kaiser Hospital waiting room in June 2021. Haley and Gebresslasie had to accept  that Tesfa  had refused treatment and chose to live comfortably until his death. “I call San Francisco, especially the Tenderloin, where hopes and dreams go to die,” Gebresslasie said. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-07-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12145"/><figcaption>Azieb Gebresslasie comforts Tesfa’s aunt Genet Haley in a San Leandro Kaiser Hospital waiting room in June 2021. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

“The LEAD program, and its structure and the types of charges it included, didn&#8217;t make sense for the landscape of San Francisco,” Almeida said. “That responsibility for treating those individuals with behavioral health needs should not fall on law enforcement.”

“The LEAD program, and its structure and the types of charges it included, didn't make sense for the landscape of San Francisco,” Almeida said. “That responsibility for treating those individuals with behavioral health needs should not fall on law enforcement.”

“The LEAD program, and its structure and the types of charges it included, didn&#8217;t make sense for the landscape of San Francisco,” Almeida said. “That responsibility for treating those individuals with behavioral health needs should not fall on law enforcement.”

Supervisors Matt Haney and Hillary Ronen did not return messages seeking comment on LEAD.

Supervisors Matt Haney and Hillary Ronen did not return messages seeking comment on LEAD.

The Street Crisis Response Team now handles many low-level crime calls, and outreach workers say that their relationship with law enforcement has decayed.&nbsp;

The Street Crisis Response Team now handles many low-level crime calls, and outreach workers say that their relationship with law enforcement has decayed.&nbsp;

 “[Touye and Hofstein] were great, those guys were like the dynamic duo of BART police,” Norelli said. “I’m not having direct conversations with the police anymore &#8230; It died out after LEAD fell out.” 

“[Touye and Hofstein] were great, those guys were like the dynamic duo of BART police,” Norelli said. “I’m not having direct conversations with the police anymore ... It died out after LEAD fell out.”

“[Touye and Hofstein] were great, those guys were like the dynamic duo of BART police,” Norelli said. “I’m not having direct conversations with the police anymore &#8230; It died out after LEAD fell out.”

The program also marked the tail end of Touye and Hofstein’s careers in San Francisco. 

The program also marked the tail end of Touye and Hofstein’s careers in San Francisco.

“They won’t listen to us … So it burned me out, burned Dave out. Dave quit early,” Hofstein said. “We started off with a room full of cops … By the end of the program, I was the only one left.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“They won’t listen to us … So it burned me out, burned Dave out. Dave quit early,” Hofstein said. “We started off with a room full of cops … By the end of the program, I was the only one left.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Azieb Gebresslasie and Noah Tesfa share a moment while glancing at each other in the San Leandro Kaiser in June of 2021. Azieb Gebresslasie worked as a cab driver in San Francisco to be close to her son at all times. Worried that her son could be hungry, inadequately clothed, or simply overdose any moment, Gebresslasie tracked her son by constantly speaking with police officers, drug dealers and door attendants to find clues to where her son had gone next. “When I would go looking for him. I would tell him, ‘Can I just speak to my son for five minutes? Can I speak to my Noah? Not the drug addict Noah,’” said Gebresslasie. Tesfa died a week later in the hospital. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-08.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12148"/><figcaption>Azieb Gebresslasie and Noah Tesfa in the San Leandro Kaiser in June 2021. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

For Gebresslasie, the end of the LEAD program, and Touye’s resignation, were huge blows. Other outreach programs fell short in their ability to find Tesfa, and Gebresslasie could no longer ask Touye for help. 

For Gebresslasie, the end of the LEAD program, and Touye’s resignation, were huge blows. Other outreach programs fell short in their ability to find Tesfa, and Gebresslasie could no longer ask Touye for help.

“After he retired, I walked the whole Tenderloin up and down looking for [Tesfa] and couldn’t find him,” Gebreslassie said. “There were outreach programs that were looking for him, and they would ask me where he was at.”&nbsp;

“After he retired, I walked the whole Tenderloin up and down looking for [Tesfa] and couldn’t find him,” Gebreslassie said. “There were outreach programs that were looking for him, and they would ask me where he was at.”&nbsp;

The COVID-19 health emergency then made it too dangerous for Gebresslasie to wander the streets searching for her son. Apart from the occasional call from a friend or relative who spotted him, she lost contact with Tesfa entirely.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 health emergency then made it too dangerous for Gebresslasie to wander the streets searching for her son. Apart from the occasional call from a friend or relative who spotted him, she lost contact with Tesfa entirely.&nbsp;

One day, moved by a dream she had the night before, Gebresslasie started her car and resumed her usual route. First, she started at the Civic Center, but he wasn’t there. She searched every corner of the Tenderloin that day, but no one had seen him. Upon returning home that evening, she received a call from the hospital. A doctor informed her that they had a patient with the name Noah Tesfa, whose kidney function was at three percent.&nbsp;

One day, moved by a dream she had the night before, Gebresslasie started her car and resumed her usual route. First, she started at the Civic Center, but he wasn’t there. She searched every corner of the Tenderloin that day, but no one had seen him. Upon returning home that evening, she received a call from the hospital. A doctor informed her that they had a patient with the name Noah Tesfa, whose kidney function was at three percent.&nbsp;

They gave him two weeks to live without immediate medical intervention.&nbsp;

They gave him two weeks to live without immediate medical intervention.&nbsp;

“There’s pills he has to take for six months for a kidney transplant to work,” Gebresslasie said. “He’s not going to do that.”

“There’s pills he has to take for six months for a kidney transplant to work,” Gebresslasie said. “He’s not going to do that.”

Thomas Tesfa, Noah Tesfa’s brother, releases a dove on July 24, 2021, what would have been Tesfa’s 30th birthday.  
Thomas Tesfa, Noah Tesfa’s brother, releases a dove on July 24, 2021, what would have been Tesfa’s 30th birthday. | Photo by James Wyatt 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-10-copy-2500x1657.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12154"/><figcaption>Thomas Tesfa, Noah Tesfa&#8217;s brother, releases a dove on July 24, 2021, on what would have been Tesfa&#8217;s 30th birthday. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-10-copy-2500x1657.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12154"/><figcaption>Thomas Tesfa, Noah Tesfa's brother, releases a dove on July 24, 2021, on what would have been Tesfa's 30th birthday. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Finding-Noah-Here_say-final-10-copy-2500x1657.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12154"/><figcaption>Thomas Tesfa, Noah Tesfa&#8217;s brother, releases a dove on July 24, 2021, on what would have been Tesfa&#8217;s 30th birthday. <meta charset="utf-8">| Photo by James Wyatt</figcaption></figure>

Two weeks later, Tesfa died, a month shy of his 30th birthday. His funeral service was flooded with the sounds of sobbing family and friends, who remember him for his smile, his intelligence and the vast potential he possessed.&nbsp;

Two weeks later, Tesfa died, a month shy of his 30th birthday. His funeral service was flooded with the sounds of sobbing family and friends, who remember him for his smile, his intelligence and the vast potential he possessed.&nbsp;

“I’m at peace as far as knowing he’s not in pain anymore,” Gebresslasie said. “God didn’t let him die in the streets … He let me have the time I needed.”&nbsp;

“I’m at peace as far as knowing he’s not in pain anymore,” Gebresslasie said. “God didn’t let him die in the streets … He let me have the time I needed.”&nbsp;

Photography by James Wyatt. Editing by Jonathan Weber.

Photography by James Wyatt. Editing by Jonathan Weber.

A mother, an officer, a heartbreaking death: How a program for addicts stumbled on the streets of the Tenderloin

Meaghan Mitchell

Christina Campodonico

Editor&#8217;s note: This article has been updated to include an announcement by city officials on Feb. 3 regarding traffic calming measures for the Lower Great Highway and Outer Sunset.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include an announcement by city officials on Feb. 3 regarding traffic calming measures for the Lower Great Highway and Outer Sunset.

Editor&#8217;s note: This article has been updated to include an announcement by city officials on Feb. 3 regarding traffic calming measures for the Lower Great Highway and Outer Sunset.

A trio of senior women power walks down the <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/How-the-Great-Highway-has-become-San-Francisco-s-15597659.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Highway</a>, swiftly moving their arms back and forth. Engaged in conversation, they laugh as the sun reflects on their visors.&nbsp;

A trio of senior women power walks down the <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/How-the-Great-Highway-has-become-San-Francisco-s-15597659.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Highway</a>, swiftly moving their arms back and forth. Engaged in conversation, they laugh as the sun reflects on their visors.&nbsp;

Several feet ahead, a &#8220;critical mass&#8221; of bicyclists rolls down the walkway in the opposite direction in multicolored wigs, with strings of lights flashing on their bikes—the cyclist leading the ride blasts <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEeaS6fuUoA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Lovely Day&#8221; by Bill Withers</a> from a speaker in the basket of his bike.&nbsp;

Several feet ahead, a "critical mass" of bicyclists rolls down the walkway in the opposite direction in multicolored wigs, with strings of lights flashing on their bikes—the cyclist leading the ride blasts <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEeaS6fuUoA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers</a> from a speaker in the basket of his bike.&nbsp;

Several feet ahead, a &#8220;critical mass&#8221; of bicyclists rolls down the walkway in the opposite direction in multicolored wigs, with strings of lights flashing on their bikes—the cyclist leading the ride blasts <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEeaS6fuUoA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Lovely Day&#8221; by Bill Withers</a> from a speaker in the basket of his bike.&nbsp;

And following them—a family of five in dinosaur costumes shuffles down the steps from the Great Highway onto the beach. Trying to keep up, the youngest face plants into the sand, and his siblings run to his aide.

And following them—a family of five in dinosaur costumes shuffles down the steps from the Great Highway onto the beach. Trying to keep up, the youngest face plants into the sand, and his siblings run to his aide.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DINOFAMILY_PHO_MEAGHANMITCHELL-1-2500x1875.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1725"/><figcaption>A family of five in dinosaur costumes spends time at Ocean Beach. | Meaghan Mitchell for Here/Say Media</figcaption></figure>

For a moment, it looks like the old San Francisco. A sense of normalcy and community lingers in the ocean air.

For a moment, it looks like the old San Francisco. A sense of normalcy and community lingers in the ocean air.

However, it is not all about &#8220;having fun in the fog&#8221; for everyone. While the city&#8217;s decision to close the Upper Great Highway to vehicles has transformed the roadway into a temporary promenade for stir-crazy San Franciscans, it has also created a traffic problem for those living on neighboring streets. A debate over the Great Highway&#8217;s partial closure—and whether it should reopen to cars—is underway.

However, it is not all about "having fun in the fog" for everyone. While the city's decision to close the Upper Great Highway to vehicles has transformed the roadway into a temporary promenade for stir-crazy San Franciscans, it has also created a traffic problem for those living on neighboring streets. A debate over the Great Highway's partial closure—and whether it should reopen to cars—is underway.

However, it is not all about &#8220;having fun in the fog&#8221; for everyone. While the city&#8217;s decision to close the Upper Great Highway to vehicles has transformed the roadway into a temporary promenade for stir-crazy San Franciscans, it has also created a traffic problem for those living on neighboring streets. A debate over the Great Highway&#8217;s partial closure—and whether it should reopen to cars—is underway.

But even more pressing is the fact that, in the next few years, the roadway will be transformed. Not by any policy or political choice, but by climate change and coastal erosion.

But even more pressing is the fact that, in the next few years, the roadway will be transformed. Not by any policy or political choice, but by climate change and coastal erosion.

Great Highway’s Temporary Closure Sparks Broad Debate Over Roadway’s Future

Great Highway’s Temporary Closure Sparks Broad Debate Over Roadway’s Future

Last April, when Supervisor Gordon Mar <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1247938537678233600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247938537678233600%7Ctwgr%5E&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsanfrancisco.cbslocal.com%2F2020%2F04%2F09%2Fgreat-highway-close-to-cars-shelter-in-place-supervisor-gordon-mar%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> the Upper Great Highway&#8217;s temporary closure to cars (which spans from Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard) he intended to mitigate the impact of sand on the roadway to oncoming vehicles. The Upper Great Highway closure is nothing new. In pre-Covid times, it closed on average <a href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2020/12/06/sunset-residents-debate-best-use-of-upper-great-highway/#:~:text=It%20was%20noted%20by%20officials,along%20Ocean%20Beach%20for%20decades." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at least 27 times every year</a> for cleanups.&nbsp;

Last April, when Supervisor Gordon Mar <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1247938537678233600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247938537678233600%7Ctwgr%5E&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsanfrancisco.cbslocal.com%2F2020%2F04%2F09%2Fgreat-highway-close-to-cars-shelter-in-place-supervisor-gordon-mar%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> the Upper Great Highway's temporary closure to cars (which spans from Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard) he intended to mitigate the impact of sand on the roadway to oncoming vehicles. The Upper Great Highway closure is nothing new. In pre-Covid times, it closed on average <a href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2020/12/06/sunset-residents-debate-best-use-of-upper-great-highway/#:~:text=It%20was%20noted%20by%20officials,along%20Ocean%20Beach%20for%20decades." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at least 27 times every year</a> for cleanups.&nbsp;

Last April, when Supervisor Gordon Mar <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1247938537678233600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247938537678233600%7Ctwgr%5E&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsanfrancisco.cbslocal.com%2F2020%2F04%2F09%2Fgreat-highway-close-to-cars-shelter-in-place-supervisor-gordon-mar%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> the Upper Great Highway&#8217;s temporary closure to cars (which spans from Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard) he intended to mitigate the impact of sand on the roadway to oncoming vehicles. The Upper Great Highway closure is nothing new. In pre-Covid times, it closed on average <a href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2020/12/06/sunset-residents-debate-best-use-of-upper-great-highway/#:~:text=It%20was%20noted%20by%20officials,along%20Ocean%20Beach%20for%20decades." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at least 27 times every year</a> for cleanups.&nbsp;

However, Mar opted to keep the roadway shut this time around as part of San Francisco&#8217;s <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/slow-streets-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Slow Streets</a> initiative to create more space for District 4 residents to socially distance. Since then, the Upper Great Highway has remained off limits to cars and open to thousands of people of different ages, races, genders and abilities.&nbsp;

However, Mar opted to keep the roadway shut this time around as part of San Francisco's <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/slow-streets-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Slow Streets</a> initiative to create more space for District 4 residents to socially distance. Since then, the Upper Great Highway has remained off limits to cars and open to thousands of people of different ages, races, genders and abilities.&nbsp;

However, Mar opted to keep the roadway shut this time around as part of San Francisco&#8217;s <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/slow-streets-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Slow Streets</a> initiative to create more space for District 4 residents to socially distance. Since then, the Upper Great Highway has remained off limits to cars and open to thousands of people of different ages, races, genders and abilities.&nbsp;

&#8220;It has been a backdrop for <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1269701866830491648?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marches of racial justice</a>,&#8221; said Mar during a <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1330249105285795844?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">town hall</a> meeting last November that drew more than 500 participants, a mixture of community groups advocating to keep the closure and frustrated residents asking for the highway to reopen. &#8220;It is also a training ground for kids learning to ride bikes and a new iconic space for San Franciscans to maintain their physical and mental health in these trying times.&#8221;

"It has been a backdrop for <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1269701866830491648?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marches of racial justice</a>," said Mar during a <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1330249105285795844?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">town hall</a> meeting last November that drew more than 500 participants, a mixture of community groups advocating to keep the closure and frustrated residents asking for the highway to reopen. "It is also a training ground for kids learning to ride bikes and a new iconic space for San Franciscans to maintain their physical and mental health in these trying times."

&#8220;It has been a backdrop for <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1269701866830491648?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marches of racial justice</a>,&#8221; said Mar during a <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1330249105285795844?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">town hall</a> meeting last November that drew more than 500 participants, a mixture of community groups advocating to keep the closure and frustrated residents asking for the highway to reopen. &#8220;It is also a training ground for kids learning to ride bikes and a new iconic space for San Franciscans to maintain their physical and mental health in these trying times.&#8221;

While this new use of the Upper Great Highway has been tremendously successful in meeting that goal, it has also presented real and severe challenges resulting from the traffic diverted onto the Outer Sunset&#8217;s residential streets, specifically the Lower Great Highway. Through a series of virtual meetings with Supervisor Mar, residents, and members of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), it was determined that the Lower Great Highway had experienced an <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1327304875177197568" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased traffic volume</a> of over 5,000 cars a day, with a significant percentage of those cars driving at unsafe speeds.

While this new use of the Upper Great Highway has been tremendously successful in meeting that goal, it has also presented real and severe challenges resulting from the traffic diverted onto the Outer Sunset's residential streets, specifically the Lower Great Highway. Through a series of virtual meetings with Supervisor Mar, residents, and members of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), it was determined that the Lower Great Highway had experienced an <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1327304875177197568" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased traffic volume</a> of over 5,000 cars a day, with a significant percentage of those cars driving at unsafe speeds.

While this new use of the Upper Great Highway has been tremendously successful in meeting that goal, it has also presented real and severe challenges resulting from the traffic diverted onto the Outer Sunset&#8217;s residential streets, specifically the Lower Great Highway. Through a series of virtual meetings with Supervisor Mar, residents, and members of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), it was determined that the Lower Great Highway had experienced an <a href="https://twitter.com/D4GordonMar/status/1327304875177197568" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased traffic volume</a> of over 5,000 cars a day, with a significant percentage of those cars driving at unsafe speeds.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/https___www.estately.com_listings_info_1924-great-highway-hwyUGH1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1727"/><figcaption>The difference between Lower Great Highway and Upper Great Highway. | <a href="https://www.estately.com/listings/info/1924-great-highway-hwy">Estately</a></figcaption></figure>

The SFMTA has since <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/great-highway-and-outer-sunset-traffic-management-project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taken steps</a> to address these safety and traffic concerns, such as adding detour signs and new turn restrictions to redirect Sunset Boulevard&#8217;s traffic. Meanwhile, several neighborhood groups are advocating to maintain the roadway’s closure. One such group, the <a href="https://www.greathighwaypark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Highway Park Initiative</a>, has collected thousands of signatures to date.&nbsp;

The SFMTA has since <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/great-highway-and-outer-sunset-traffic-management-project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taken steps</a> to address these safety and traffic concerns, such as adding detour signs and new turn restrictions to redirect Sunset Boulevard's traffic. Meanwhile, several neighborhood groups are advocating to maintain the roadway’s closure. One such group, the <a href="https://www.greathighwaypark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Highway Park Initiative</a>, has collected thousands of signatures to date.&nbsp;

The SFMTA has since <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/great-highway-and-outer-sunset-traffic-management-project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taken steps</a> to address these safety and traffic concerns, such as adding detour signs and new turn restrictions to redirect Sunset Boulevard&#8217;s traffic. Meanwhile, several neighborhood groups are advocating to maintain the roadway’s closure. One such group, the <a href="https://www.greathighwaypark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Highway Park Initiative</a>, has collected thousands of signatures to date.&nbsp;

<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Upper-Great-Highway-1-2500x1932.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1751"/><figcaption>Sunset residents air their concerns over the Great Highway’s partial closure. | Facebook</figcaption></figure></div>

Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, months, or however long the temporary closure continues, District 4 residents also have an opportunity to weigh in on the highway&#8217;s long-term future. This conversation will not be in response to COVID-19 but rather to climate change.&nbsp;

Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, months, or however long the temporary closure continues, District 4 residents also have an opportunity to weigh in on the highway's long-term future. This conversation will not be in response to COVID-19 but rather to climate change.&nbsp;

Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, months, or however long the temporary closure continues, District 4 residents also have an opportunity to weigh in on the highway&#8217;s long-term future. This conversation will not be in response to COVID-19 but rather to climate change.&nbsp;

&#8220;We didn&#8217;t decide that—the planet did,” Mar said. “Nature has decided that for us.”&nbsp;

"We didn't decide that—the planet did,” Mar said. “Nature has decided that for us.”&nbsp;

&#8220;We didn&#8217;t decide that—the planet did,” Mar said. “Nature has decided that for us.”&nbsp;

Climate Change Threatens San Francisco’s Coastline

Climate Change Threatens San Francisco’s Coastline

Over the years, erosion along the famous strip has been exacerbated by global warming and sea level rise (abbreviated as SLR).&nbsp;

Over the years, erosion along the famous strip has been exacerbated by global warming and sea level rise (abbreviated as SLR).&nbsp;

&#8220;Ever since the Great Highway was carved out of the sand dunes, there has been a struggle to protect the road from the powerful surf of the North Pacific,&#8221; observed a 2012 Surfrider Foundation <a href="http://public.surfrider.org/files/a_history_of_coastal_erosion_at_ocean_beach_0412.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history of coastal erosion at Ocean Beach</a>.&nbsp;

"Ever since the Great Highway was carved out of the sand dunes, there has been a struggle to protect the road from the powerful surf of the North Pacific," observed a 2012 Surfrider Foundation <a href="http://public.surfrider.org/files/a_history_of_coastal_erosion_at_ocean_beach_0412.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history of coastal erosion at Ocean Beach</a>.&nbsp;

&#8220;Ever since the Great Highway was carved out of the sand dunes, there has been a struggle to protect the road from the powerful surf of the North Pacific,&#8221; observed a 2012 Surfrider Foundation <a href="http://public.surfrider.org/files/a_history_of_coastal_erosion_at_ocean_beach_0412.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history of coastal erosion at Ocean Beach</a>.&nbsp;

A 2020 SF Planning Department <a href="https://default.sfplanning.org/plans-and-programs/planning-for-the-city/sea-level-rise/SLRVCA_Report_Full_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assessment</a> of sea level rise vulnerability and consequences predicts that temporary coastal flooding will impact &#8220;the entire length of the Ocean Beach/Fort Funston Shoreline trail&#8221; and that 98 percent, or 4.6 miles, of Ocean Beach will be inundated if sea level rises to 4.3 feet or above. The Great Highway itself could be inundated anywhere from 10 to 22 percent (.4 to .8 miles) depending on the degree of sea level rise, with coastal floodwaters and SLR projected to overwhelm parts of its beachside trail as well. (According to an August 2020 <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4261#:~:text=Scientific%20estimates%20suggest%20the%20magnitude,water%20levels%20than%20SLR%20alone." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> by California&#8217;s Legislative Analyst&#8217;s Office, SLR in the state could rise at least a half foot by 2030 and &#8220;as much as seven feet by 2100,&#8221; with storm surges, &#8220;king tides&#8221; and El Niño-like events able to &#8220;produce notably higher water levels than SLR alone&#8221;).&nbsp;

A 2020 SF Planning Department <a href="https://default.sfplanning.org/plans-and-programs/planning-for-the-city/sea-level-rise/SLRVCA_Report_Full_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assessment</a> of sea level rise vulnerability and consequences predicts that temporary coastal flooding will impact "the entire length of the Ocean Beach/Fort Funston Shoreline trail" and that 98 percent, or 4.6 miles, of Ocean Beach will be inundated if sea level rises to 4.3 feet or above. The Great Highway itself could be inundated anywhere from 10 to 22 percent (.4 to .8 miles) depending on the degree of sea level rise, with coastal floodwaters and SLR projected to overwhelm parts of its beachside trail as well. (According to an August 2020 <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4261#:~:text=Scientific%20estimates%20suggest%20the%20magnitude,water%20levels%20than%20SLR%20alone." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> by California's Legislative Analyst's Office, SLR in the state could rise at least a half foot by 2030 and "as much as seven feet by 2100," with storm surges, "king tides" and El Niño-like events able to "produce notably higher water levels than SLR alone").&nbsp;

A 2020 SF Planning Department <a href="https://default.sfplanning.org/plans-and-programs/planning-for-the-city/sea-level-rise/SLRVCA_Report_Full_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assessment</a> of sea level rise vulnerability and consequences predicts that temporary coastal flooding will impact &#8220;the entire length of the Ocean Beach/Fort Funston Shoreline trail&#8221; and that 98 percent, or 4.6 miles, of Ocean Beach will be inundated if sea level rises to 4.3 feet or above. The Great Highway itself could be inundated anywhere from 10 to 22 percent (.4 to .8 miles) depending on the degree of sea level rise, with coastal floodwaters and SLR projected to overwhelm parts of its beachside trail as well. (According to an August 2020 <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4261#:~:text=Scientific%20estimates%20suggest%20the%20magnitude,water%20levels%20than%20SLR%20alone." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> by California&#8217;s Legislative Analyst&#8217;s Office, SLR in the state could rise at least a half foot by 2030 and &#8220;as much as seven feet by 2100,&#8221; with storm surges, &#8220;king tides&#8221; and El Niño-like events able to &#8220;produce notably higher water levels than SLR alone&#8221;).&nbsp;

“The wave hazards along the Pacific Ocean shoreline are much larger than within the sheltered Bay, with wave heights exceeding 20 feet along some stretches of shoreline. As sea levels rise, the potential for wave hazards and coastal erosion will increase, because deeper ocean waters allow for the generation of larger waves,” the SF Planning Department&#8217;s assessment warns. “Coastal erosion of the oceanfront beaches and bluffs will continue to change the Westside shoreline over the coming century.”

“The wave hazards along the Pacific Ocean shoreline are much larger than within the sheltered Bay, with wave heights exceeding 20 feet along some stretches of shoreline. As sea levels rise, the potential for wave hazards and coastal erosion will increase, because deeper ocean waters allow for the generation of larger waves,” the SF Planning Department's assessment warns. “Coastal erosion of the oceanfront beaches and bluffs will continue to change the Westside shoreline over the coming century.”

“The wave hazards along the Pacific Ocean shoreline are much larger than within the sheltered Bay, with wave heights exceeding 20 feet along some stretches of shoreline. As sea levels rise, the potential for wave hazards and coastal erosion will increase, because deeper ocean waters allow for the generation of larger waves,” the SF Planning Department&#8217;s assessment warns. “Coastal erosion of the oceanfront beaches and bluffs will continue to change the Westside shoreline over the coming century.”

According to the report, the Great Highway has already lost parking areas to coastal erosion, and the extension south of Sloat Boulevard <a href="https://sfplanning.org/ocean-beach" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will have to be closed</a> to cars permanently in the coming years because the city cannot maintain it as a roadway. Parts of the city&#8217;s wastewater infrastructure are also under threat from coastal erosion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the report, the Great Highway has already lost parking areas to coastal erosion, and the extension south of Sloat Boulevard <a href="https://sfplanning.org/ocean-beach" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will have to be closed</a> to cars permanently in the coming years because the city cannot maintain it as a roadway. Parts of the city's wastewater infrastructure are also under threat from coastal erosion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the report, the Great Highway has already lost parking areas to coastal erosion, and the extension south of Sloat Boulevard <a href="https://sfplanning.org/ocean-beach" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will have to be closed</a> to cars permanently in the coming years because the city cannot maintain it as a roadway. Parts of the city&#8217;s wastewater infrastructure are also under threat from coastal erosion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MrBrej8tDqLAkZBY7yIXNIjFgCaeUBm_egSt7fq-ZnaLS_9IbcRLbv35YTkXw7d4-R7y1anGfJbWkb09OGShviaYSLwCsnqQlCmGcL4xNYSThJjm6QU7pptxe307yrc7g-NEHfqb" alt=""/><figcaption>Anywhere from .4 to .8 miles of the Great Highway could be inundated depending on the severity of sea level rise | SF Planning Department Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Consequence Assessment</figcaption></figure>

<a href="https://esassoc.com/about/employees/bob-battalio-pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bob Battalio</a>, a civil engineer and vice president at <a href="https://esassoc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, an environmental services firm, has been surfing at and studying Ocean Beach for 30 years. He project-managed a collaboration with the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) to develop the <a href="https://www.spur.org/sites/default/files/migrated/anchors/Ocean_Beach_Master_Plan052012.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Beach Master Plan</a>, which is currently being implemented and aims to mitigate the impacts of coastal erosion, climate change and sea level rise on the westside of San Francisco.&nbsp;

<a href="https://esassoc.com/about/employees/bob-battalio-pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bob Battalio</a>, a civil engineer and vice president at <a href="https://esassoc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, an environmental services firm, has been surfing at and studying Ocean Beach for 30 years. He project-managed a collaboration with the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) to develop the <a href="https://www.spur.org/sites/default/files/migrated/anchors/Ocean_Beach_Master_Plan052012.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Beach Master Plan</a>, which is currently being implemented and aims to mitigate the impacts of coastal erosion, climate change and sea level rise on the westside of San Francisco.&nbsp;

According to Battalio, the greatest environmental threats to the Great Highway are the reduction of the shoreline and coastal flooding.

According to Battalio, the greatest environmental threats to the Great Highway are the reduction of the shoreline and coastal flooding.

“We&#8217;re going to see the beach getting narrower,” he said. As part of the Ocean Beach Master Plan, Battalio’s team recommended widening the beach with extra sand “to compensate for the effect of sea level rise” and reducing the width of the Upper Great Highway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We're going to see the beach getting narrower,” he said. As part of the Ocean Beach Master Plan, Battalio’s team recommended widening the beach with extra sand “to compensate for the effect of sea level rise” and reducing the width of the Upper Great Highway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We&#8217;re going to see the beach getting narrower,” he said. As part of the Ocean Beach Master Plan, Battalio’s team recommended widening the beach with extra sand “to compensate for the effect of sea level rise” and reducing the width of the Upper Great Highway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We talked a lot about narrowing the Upper Great Highway to two lanes to provide more space for these coastal processes, but in the public planning process that was strongly resisted,” Battalio said. “It wasn&#8217;t the final adopted plan. I think there&#8217;s a lot of people that like having a highway.”

“We talked a lot about narrowing the Upper Great Highway to two lanes to provide more space for these coastal processes, but in the public planning process that was strongly resisted,” Battalio said. “It wasn't the final adopted plan. I think there's a lot of people that like having a highway.”

“We talked a lot about narrowing the Upper Great Highway to two lanes to provide more space for these coastal processes, but in the public planning process that was strongly resisted,” Battalio said. “It wasn&#8217;t the final adopted plan. I think there&#8217;s a lot of people that like having a highway.”

Ultimately, Battalio believes it’s really a “societal decision” whether cars should figure into the future of the Great Highway. But he hasn’t forgotten something a Surfrider Foundation representative said in 1999.&nbsp;

Ultimately, Battalio believes it’s really a “societal decision” whether cars should figure into the future of the Great Highway. But he hasn’t forgotten something a Surfrider Foundation representative said in 1999.&nbsp;

“A Surfrider guy just came up [and said] we have over 40 avenues, but we only have one beach,” Battalio recalled. “I just thought that was profound because he really gets to the point of how many roads do you need, really?”

“A Surfrider guy just came up [and said] we have over 40 avenues, but we only have one beach,” Battalio recalled. “I just thought that was profound because he really gets to the point of how many roads do you need, really?”

It’s a question that San Franciscans are having to confront as they consider the future of the Great Highway during the pandemic and beyond, observed Mar.&nbsp;

It’s a question that San Franciscans are having to confront as they consider the future of the Great Highway during the pandemic and beyond, observed Mar.&nbsp;

&#8220;When <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/loma-prieta-earthquake-30-years-later-anniversary/1914018/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loma Prieta</a> struck and damaged the Embarcadero freeway, the city had a choice,” Mar said. &#8220;They could either repair and rebuild and try to maintain a road and car way on the eastern waterfront or choose a different path and <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2014/10/loma-prieta-quake-san-francisco-waterfront-photo.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reimagine</a> that waterfront for generations to come.”&nbsp;

"When <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/loma-prieta-earthquake-30-years-later-anniversary/1914018/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loma Prieta</a> struck and damaged the Embarcadero freeway, the city had a choice,” Mar said. "They could either repair and rebuild and try to maintain a road and car way on the eastern waterfront or choose a different path and <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2014/10/loma-prieta-quake-san-francisco-waterfront-photo.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reimagine</a> that waterfront for generations to come.”&nbsp;

&#8220;When <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/loma-prieta-earthquake-30-years-later-anniversary/1914018/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loma Prieta</a> struck and damaged the Embarcadero freeway, the city had a choice,” Mar said. &#8220;They could either repair and rebuild and try to maintain a road and car way on the eastern waterfront or choose a different path and <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2014/10/loma-prieta-quake-san-francisco-waterfront-photo.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reimagine</a> that waterfront for generations to come.”&nbsp;

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Like it or not: The Great Highway will change