By Dave Schwab

Park cap over SR 94 would reunite Golden Hill, Sherman Heights

An 8-acre park cap, proposed to be built over state Route 94 between 22nd and 25th streets, could reconnect the communities of Golden Hill and Sherman Heights long separated since the highway was constructed.

Golden Hill residents weighed in on the ambitious, long-term proposal that was discussed during a two-hour meeting on Sept. 27 at Golden Hill Recreation Center.

After the meeting, Golden Hill attendee Judd Curran was enthusiastic about the design concept for the proposed community improvement project.

“A park cap is a world-class opportunity to transform the negative aspects of freeway noise and pollution by creating a new space that doesn’t currently exist in some of the most beautiful and historic neighborhoods in San Diego, poised on the hill overlooking the Downtown skyline, the Bay, Coronado Bridge and Pacific Ocean,” Curran said.

“SR 94 disconnected the communities of Golden Hill and Sherman Heights when it was built. Since that time, we’ve seen exponential growth in real estate per-square-foot value in this area,” he said. “By building a cap park over SR 94, we create new space that has been re-imagined by the community to provide much-needed park and open space to promote a healthier lifestyle while reuniting our communities together.”

The meeting at the rec center was hosted by Caltrans, the state transportation planning agency, and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global engineering and professional services consultant. It reflected feedback from the Freeway Cap Best Practices & SR 94 Cap Park Study Group comprised of local stakeholders.

The park cap project is currently in the conceptual stage, and does not yet have a specific design.

District 3 Councilmember Todd Gloria, through his work on the City Council’s Transportation Committee, secured funding to initiate a feasibility study of building a park over the top of SR 94 between 22nd and 25th streets to bridge the gap between the Sherman Heights-Golden Hill neighborhoods. The outcome of that study determined such a project would be feasible.

The Cap Park Study Group shared its visionary design concept with the public, discussing potential next steps.

Seth Torma, senior planning manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff, gave a slideshow depicting similar park cap projects done or contemplated elsewhere in Texas, Glendale in LA, and San Francisco near the Golden Gate Bridge. He also gave cost estimates comparing those projects with the one being contemplated for SR 94.

In a brochure handed out at the open house, the cost was estimated from $300 million to $500 million for design, permitting and construction of the cap project’s first phase.

“We did outreach on the concept’s development and we put the feedback received into this digestible format, which we hope will empower you with information and data that you can share with other people in the community and get them engaged and excited about pushing that vision forward,” Torma said. “That’s the intent.”

During his presentation, Torma reviewed the transportation planning process for the ambitious park cap proposal, covering everything from project cost estimates to discussion of possible park amenities, as well as funding options to pay for improvements.

“Stakeholders are passionate about this (project),” Torma said, adding the goal is to “look at opportunities along this corridor to address our shortage of open space and traffic circulation around and over (SR 94).”

A survey of park amenity preferences by local stakeholders in the SR 94 Cap Park Study revealed a desire, in descending order for:

• Open-space/play/gathering areas.
• Active sports facilities, such as a soccer field.
• Transportation facilities, such as a bus or other transit stop, and other possible structures.
• Food and vending services.
• A dog park.

Those surveyed said they’d like to see lawn space, benches, picnic areas, shade trees and community event space, along with security and free Wi-Fi.

Curran said a park at this location would be “not only an amenity serving our communities, but a world-class destination with the appeal rivaling a Central Park, or Golden Gate Park, for San Diego. Where else in San Diego can one sit and watch a concert or soccer game or walk a dog while taking in a view of the Downtown skyline, San Diego Bay, Coronado Bridge and Island, the Pacific Ocean and Mexico, all in view from this one site?” he asked.

Should the SR 94 cap park concept eventually move forward, Torma noted it would undoubtedly involve acquiring potential funding from a variety of sources, including local, state and federal grants as well as possible public-private partnerships.

The new cap park brochure and other materials can be downloaded from the study website at bit.ly/sdfreewaycapstudy.

— Dave Schwab can be reached at [email protected].