California Dreamin' Is Becoming A Reality
Superb Example Of Climate Adaptation And Strategic Retreat
San Francisco Closes Coastal Highway To Create Urban Park
The City of San Francisco closed a coastal highway and converted it to a park.
The NY Times reports:
If this can be done in a densely populated city, it can be done anywhere - and it should be done widely, given the high vulnerability of coastal and riverfront land to climate driven sea level rise, storm surge, extreme weather, and flooding.
At the same time, this approach can provide huge public benefits given the dearth of public parks, open spaces, and habitat.
I wrote to NJ policymakers and environmental "leaders" to suggest that they engage a planning process to assess the feasibility of doing this in NJ.
Of course, as this is a Gubernatorial election year, one of the candidates for Governor could latch on to this idea and gain endorsements and political support from NJ environmental groups. Hahaha! Not likely.
Off the top of my head, I can think of a road to close and a great place to do so - Duck Island in Trenton, NJ. And I targeted available funding sources for the project.
I'm sure there are many, many more places along NJ's rivers and coastline.
I'm not expecting a reply.
---------- Original Message ----------
From: Bill WOLFE <>
To: "shawn.latourette@dep.nj.gov" <shawn.latourette@dep.nj.gov>, senbsmith <SenBSmith@njleg.org>, sengreenstein <sengreenstein@njleg.org>, "senmckeon@njleg.org" <senmckeon@njleg.org>, "senzwicker@njleg.org" <senzwicker@njleg.org>, "Hansen, Eric" <EHansen@njleg.org>, "john.cecil@dep.nj.gov" <john.cecil@dep.nj.gov>
Cc: "tim@littoralsociety.org" <tim@littoralsociety.org>, Sam Pesin <pesinliberty@earthlink.net>, domalley <domalley@environmentnewjersey.org>, "Taylor McFarland, NJ Sierra Club" <taylor.mcfarland@sierraclub.org>, Anjuli Ramos <anjuli.ramos@sierraclub.org>, "ed.potosnak@njlcv.org" <ed.potosnak@njlcv.org>, wrn1935 <wrn1935@comcast.net>, William Neil <wneil1950@gmail.com>, "emile@njconservation.org" <emile@njconservation.org>
Date: 06/01/2025 9:31 AM EDT
Subject: Coastal Parks - Climate Adaptation - Strategic Retreat
Dear Commissioner LaTourette and Legislators:
Then NY Times reports today on a wonderful example of climate adaptation and "strategic retreat" by the City of San Francisco.
The city closed a highly vulnerable coastal highway and converted it to a very popular urban park, Sunset Park, see:
This California Highway Is Now a Park. The Cars Are Gone, but Not the Anger.
Perhaps the Department could lead a planning project to assess the potential for similar road closures and development and infrastructure removal along NJ's highly vulnerable coastal and riverfront lands.
Perhaps NJ's Coastal Zone Management Plan could be the planning framework of such an assessment.
Or, the issues could be analyzed within the Department's climate adaptation planning.
Of course, Chairman Smith could conduct public hearings on the issue or introduce legislation.
Such a creative approach to "strategic retreat" could solve multiple major problems while providing significant public benefits.
The time for bold action is now.
(Surely this is a less controversial policy than a municipality considering using eminent domain power to seize active farmland to build housing.)
Bill Wolfe
Good thinking...especially in a Gubernatorial election year!