Presidio Tunnel Tops Links San Francisco Parks Above Seven Lanes of Traffic

Construction of the Presidio Tunnel Tops is a complicated effort that began in 2018. The $98-million project is funded primarily through philanthropic donations raised by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy’s capital campaign. The park was designed by James Corner Field Operations, which is best known for New York’s High Line.

With an area of about 14 acres, the project spans over Presidio Parkway, a major highway, and includes miles of underground utilities and infrastructure. It offers a two-acre children’s play area, trails, several overlooks, and gathering spaces from picnic areas to a campfire circle. The project also involves a seismic upgrade to a historic building to serve as the home for Crissy Field Center, two new learning labs, and a public Field Station for youth and their families. Mountains of soil were imported to grow beautiful new gardens planted with nearly 200,000 native and drought-tolerant plants.  

The project will open to the public starting Sunday, July 17, 2022 and is set to become the latest attraction for both residents and visitors to the Bay Area.