Presidio Tunnel Tops
When we lived in San Francisco (1989-1993), the Presidio was “that historic military base at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge.” The U.S. Army closed the base in 1994, transferring the Presidio’s 14,000 acres to the National Park Service. Today, the Presidio is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation area (which also includes Alcatraz), and everyone can enjoy trails, beaches, and views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Presidio Tunnel Tops is the wonderful result of an ingenious traffic plan. Doyle Drive, the section of Highway 101 that ran from the Golden Gate Bridge across the Presidio to the street grid, was damaged by the Loma-Prieta earthquake in 1989. The impending closure of the military base provided an opportunity to transform the infrastructure. The unsightly viaducts were replaced with road tunnels UNDER the Presidio. The tunnels opened to traffic in 2015, and the park above them opened in 2022.
Tunnel Tops was designed by the same team that dreamed up the High Line in New York City. From the Presidio Visitor Center, we walked along wide pathways winding through colorful xeriscape gardens and curvy, sculptural benches made from driftwood. To the East, we could see Alcatraz Island in the distance, and the Palace of Fine Arts silhouetted against the city skyline. To the North were Crissy Field and the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge. Bright red Adirondack chairs invited all to sit and enjoy the spectacular view.
Across from the Visitor Center was the lush green expanse of the Main Parade Lawn, flanked by historic brick homes that were once military barracks. Now those buildings are museums and restaurants. We walked over to the Walt Disney Family Museum for a memorable visit. You can read more about it here.
The Presidio is unique in that it is a National Park site with commercial and residential buildings. Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic have their offices here, at the Letterman Digital Arts Center. There is a wide variety of apartment and houses for rent. I imagine it would be lovely to live at the Presidio, with easy access to parks, beaches, and a golf course, and iconic views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
