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Presidio Tunnel Tops, National Park Destination in the Presidio of San Francisco, Opens to the Public
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi along with community leaders and Partnership for the Presidio representatives celebrated the opening of Presidio Tunnel Tops. This new park destination marks the culmination of a 20-year transformation of the Presidio's waterfront. Presidio Tunnel Tops adds 14 acres to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is built on top of highway tunnels connecting San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge, bringing national park experiences closer to people across the Bay Area and visitors from around the world.
"Today is a day of celebration for San Franciscans as our city opens a majestic new public space," Pelosi said. "Presidio Tunnel Tops will serve as a beautiful beacon of recreation, education, and community. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Presidio Trust, National Park Service, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the immense generosity of many supporters and volunteers, visitors in the Bay Area and beyond will benefit from this magnificent new park –— now and for generations to come."
Presidio Tunnel Tops features scenic overlooks with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay and the city, paths and gardens, a welcome plaza with food and visitor services, a campfire circle, picnic grounds, and more. Kids and adults alike can learn about nature, explore, and have fun at the two-acre "Outpost" nature playscape and Field Station.
About Presidio Tunnel Tops
In 1993, Bay Area leaders, urban planners, and citizens were faced with the need to replace the seismically unsafe Doyle Drive, which cut the Presidio in two as it led to the Golden Gate Bridge. A vision to construct the highway into tunnels and reconnect the park by creating new land over their tops was put forth, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops project was born.
Hundreds of hours of community engagement with more than 10,000 participants shaped the final design of the site. James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind New York's High Line, was selected as the design partner. This new site allows the Partnership for the Presidio to provide more national park experiences to people across the Bay Area and serves as a gateway to the greater Golden Gate National Recreation Area and broader National Park System. Led by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Tunnel Tops campaign raised over $98 million of the $118-million project. It was built by Swinerton Builders.
California Builder & Engineer Projects"Today is a day of celebration for San Franciscans as our city opens a majestic new public space," Pelosi said. "Presidio Tunnel Tops will serve as a beautiful beacon of recreation, education, and community. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Presidio Trust, National Park Service, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the immense generosity of many supporters and volunteers, visitors in the Bay Area and beyond will benefit from this magnificent new park –— now and for generations to come."
Presidio Tunnel Tops features scenic overlooks with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay and the city, paths and gardens, a welcome plaza with food and visitor services, a campfire circle, picnic grounds, and more. Kids and adults alike can learn about nature, explore, and have fun at the two-acre "Outpost" nature playscape and Field Station.
About Presidio Tunnel Tops
In 1993, Bay Area leaders, urban planners, and citizens were faced with the need to replace the seismically unsafe Doyle Drive, which cut the Presidio in two as it led to the Golden Gate Bridge. A vision to construct the highway into tunnels and reconnect the park by creating new land over their tops was put forth, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops project was born.
Hundreds of hours of community engagement with more than 10,000 participants shaped the final design of the site. James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind New York's High Line, was selected as the design partner. This new site allows the Partnership for the Presidio to provide more national park experiences to people across the Bay Area and serves as a gateway to the greater Golden Gate National Recreation Area and broader National Park System. Led by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Tunnel Tops campaign raised over $98 million of the $118-million project. It was built by Swinerton Builders.
